Taxpayers will be issued a new PAN card with QR code, card holders will not have to pay any charge.

Cabinet Decision: PAN cards issued for identification of taxpayers will now be issued with QR codes to enhance the digital experience of taxpayers. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the launch of the PAN 2.0 project. The government's decision aims to use PAN as the primary identifier in all digital systems of government agencies. The government will spend a total of Rs 1435 crore on this project.

PAN with QR code will be issued free of cost

PAN 2.0 project will help in bringing a major change in taxpayer registration services. Taxpayers will get many types of benefits. In which they will be able to get services easily, service delivery will be faster, quality will improve, all information will be available at one place, data will remain secure, environment friendly process will help in reducing costs. PAN will be used as a common identifier for digital systems of government agencies which is also aligned with the Digital India vision of the government. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said that under the PAN 2.0 project, a new PAN card with QR code will be issued free of cost to the taxpayers.

PAN 2.0 project is an e-governance project to re-engineer the business process of taxpayer registration services through technology-driven transformation of PAN/TAN services for better digital experience of taxpayers. The government said in its statement that this will be an upgraded version of the existing PAN/TAN 1.0 framework that will integrate the PAN verification service with core and non-core PAN/TAN activities. About 78 crore PANs have been issued in the country so far, out of which 98 percent PANs have been issued at the individual level.

What happens to PAN?

PAN number is a 10-digit alphanumeric identity card issued by the Income Tax Department. This card is issued to any person applying for a PAN card. Income Tax keeps track of online or financial transactions of any person through PAN number, also PAN is the most important identity document for conducting all types of financial transactions in the country like Voter to Vote-ID. Is