Plan to offer PAN cards online

In a move that will come as a boon for taxpayers, the income-tax (I-T) department proposes to provide all tax-related services including obtaining a Permanent Account Number (PAN) through its website.

This will also include the facility to pay taxes online at the website.

The income-tax department is in the process of overhauling its website, www.incom-etaxindia.gov.in, into what it promises will be a single window for all direct tax related matters. The aim is to ensure that no taxpayer needs to visit a tax office in person for such work.

The online tax payment feature, currently available to only credit card holders of five banks "" State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, IDBI Bank, Union Bank and UTI Bank "" will be extended to all credit cards directly through the website.

A taxpayer would also be able to check status of his tax payments and refunds online. If a taxpayer has not received the refunds due, he can log on and ask for the same.

At present, only PAN application forms can be downloaded from the department's website. The department is thinking of allotting PAN cards to taxpayers if they have a credit card or bank account.

In this case, the existing document proof with the concerned bank will be taken as the identity proof and no separate document will be required.

The I-T department also plans to set up response teams to make the online platform interactive on real-time basis, a feature not available at the moment. The response will be provided on a real-time basis.

The website will also provide user-friendly information about Indian tax laws, their implications to foreign investors looking for investments in India. Similarly, portfolio investors will be able to access information about taxation in stock market transactions.

The department has invited expressions of interest from information technology experts to implement these changes.