NEW
DELHI: The Unique Identification (UID) Aadhaar number will soon be a
"valid" proof of identity and address to obtain a PAN card.
A
proposal for inclusion of Aadhaar in the existing list of valid proof of
identification and proof of address for allotment of PAN was sent to the Finance
Ministry
by the Unique Identification Authority of India sometime back.
The
Ministry has decided to notify rules in this regard. It is aimed at curbing the
menace of fake or duplicate PAN cards which are allotted by
I-T
department
to taxpayers.
"Once
Aadhaar is accepted as a valid proof for obtaining PAN, the I-T department
would be able to weed out the menace of fake, forging or duplication of PAN
cards.
"The
amalgamation of the databases is in full swing and the ministry would soon
notify the rules in this regard," a senior Finance Ministry official said.
The
Ministry, through the Income
Tax
department, has already incorporated more than 1.75 lakh Aadhaar numbers in its
database since it notified a new form 49A for getting PAN last year.
It
has been working for nearly three years on the plan of creating a biometric
database of taxpayers which it will now achieve by incorporating the Aadhaar
data which has been taken on similar lines.
Till
now, a variety of documents, like voter ID card, passport, driving licence and
documents of owning or renting a property were used as a proof to obtain the
Permanent Account Number (PAN).
The
Ministry had last year brought out a new PAN application form-- 49A for use of
Indian citizens, companies and entities incorporated in the country which
allows a applicant to mention his or her Aadhaar number.
The
Finance Ministry, which had first mooted the proposal of generating and issuing
biometric PAN in 2006, had kept the decision pending for sometime as it was
felt that both the agencies (UIDAI and I-T) would be "duplicating the
effort" to reach a common goal -- biometrics-based identity.
In
2006, the Ministry had proposed that the biometric PAN cards would have the I-T
assesses' fingerprints (two from each hand) and the face. This will now be
achieved by collating the Aadhaar database with that of the PAN.
According
to latest data (till December last), more than 16.49 crore PAN cards have been
issued in the country.
The
I-T department, in a number of cases, has unearthed a number of individuals
possessing multiple PAN cards or forging the details to evade taxes and create
'benami' properties.
Source :
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com
