Now, Aadhaar number required for a PAN card!!!

NEW DELHI, INDIA: After making Aadhaar mandatory for availing various government services and subsidies, it (Aadhaar) will be made a valid proof of identity and address to get a PAN card.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) had sent a proposal to the Finance Ministry, in this regard. The UIDAI has proposed to include Aadhaar in the existing list of valid proof of identification and proof of address for allotment of PAN card.

This initiative has been taken to keep a check on fake or duplicate PAN cards which the Income Tax Department allots to the taxpayers.

As per a senior official in the Finance Ministry, "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," quoted a PTI report.

Ever since the Finance Ministry had notified a new form 49A for getting PAN last year, it (Finance Ministry) had already incorporated more than 1.75 lakh Aadhaar numbers in its database. Last year, the Finance Ministry had come up with a new PAN application form-- 49A, which would have allowed an applicant to mention his or her Aadhaar number.

As on December, 2012, more than 16.49 crore PAN cards have been issued in the country. 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).