Govt to introduce biometric PAN cards

NEW DELHI: The government is likely to introduce biometric PAN cards soon to address the problem of duplicate cards. A joint working group in the ministry of finance has given its report after obtaining technical and commercial proposals from leading biometric solutions providers, finance minister P Chidambaram said in the Lok Sabha during Question Hour.

“The report is at present under consideration,” the minister said. He said the number of individuals suspected to have duplicate PANs is estimated to be 13,10,127 throughout the country.

The verification exercise as of August 10, 2007, has been completed in respect of 11,43,919 individuals of which 10,18421 PAN cards have been found to be duplicate and have been deactivated. Mr Chidambaram said biometric solutions were being considered so no one could obtain a duplicate card and no non-existent entity could get it.