PAN to be provided online

Taxpayers will now be able to receive their permanent account number (PAN) online. The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has already started preparations to provide this facility. IRD director general Shanta Bahadur Shrestha said that the move was aimed at widening the tax net by attracting the ordinary people and professionals. "We are implementing the system so that taxpayers can get their PAN number right after their details are put on the website," he said.

The government has made a provision this year that professionals should also get PAN numbers. Currently, taxpayers have to download the form on the IRD website, fill it out and take it to the Inland Revenue Office to get their PAN card. "With the introduction of the new system, taxpayers will get their PAN number directly online, said Shrestha. "But they still have to go to the IRO to get their PAN card." "We cannot give the card directly as there is no legal provision with regard to digital signature," said Shrestha. "This system will help us in expanding our reach among the taxpayers."

The IRD expanded the online service in addition to PAN card distribution on a wider scale as per its five-year strategy. President Ram Baran Yadav had received the first personal PAN card. The IRD said about 5,000 people had already received their personal PAN cards so far. The IRD aims to expand the number of taxpayers to one million during the next five years. The IRD aims to add 200,000 taxpayers this year. There are around 350,000 taxpayers in the country currently.

The IRD has already recruited 110 tax volunteers to help in bringing more people under the tax net. Shrestha said that the IRD recruited students with a bachelor's degree or those pursuing it with tax as their major subject. The process of recruiting volunteers had been halted as people from some quarters opposed the IRD's plan last year saying that the move was non-transparent.

"We selected them as per the recommendation of the college," Shrestha said. The IRD said that these volunteers would encourage people and businessmen to come under the tax net. They will also help in enforcing the billing system at stores which would help in increasing the rental tax and value added tax.

Source:eKantipur