Cabinet Approves PAN 2.0 Project to Enhance Taxpayer Registration Services

The Union Cabinet on Monday cleared the PAN 2.0 Project, a large-scale e-governance initiative aimed at re-engineering taxpayer registration services through the transformation of Permanent Account Number (PAN) and Temporary Account Number (TAN) services.

As part of this project, existing PANs will be upgraded with an additional QR code feature on the cards, making it easier for taxpayers to access their account information digitally. The Cabinet also proposed to make PAN a "common identifier for businesses" across all digital systems of specified government agencies.

The PAN 2.0 Project has been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 1,435 crore, with its implementation set to revamp the existing system and create a robust digital backbone. Upon completion, this initiative is expected to enhance taxpayer registration services, reduce manual processing of PAN-related documents, and improve the overall efficiency of tax collection.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the Cabinet had given its approval to this project, which will significantly contribute to the Government's e-governance objectives. With the PAN 2.0 Project, India is expected to take a major leap forward in digitalizing its tax registration services, thus paving the way for seamless taxpayer engagement and reduced administrative burdens.