By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Apr. 18: More than 2.3 million people have taken the personal permanent account number (PAN).

According to the Ministry of Finance, 2.35 million people obtained the personal PAN till March 2021. During the first eight months of the current fiscal year, 432 thousand have been added in this list. 

The government in the budget of 2020/21 made it compulsory for people to have a PAN to those who have regular income and are involved in business.

The government has accorded priority to include more and more people in the tax base through the policy of 'One person, One PAN'.

According to the ministry, 1.548 million business people have taken PAN till the end of March. It was 1.359 million in the beginning of this fiscal year.

Similarly, number of agencies involved in tax deduction registering for PAN is also rising as it has now become mandatory. Statistics of the ministry revealed that 3,094 such agencies have taken PAN. 

3.91 million PANs of personal, business, tax deduction agencies have been distributed by March end. The number was 3.3 million at the end of mid-July. Thus, an additional 570 thousand PANs have been registered during this fiscal year. According to the Ministry, more than 1 million PANs were registered in the eight months of the previous fiscal year. 

According to the ministry, 26 thousand 563 have registered the PAN for VAT in the span of eight months. This has increased the aggregate number of registration for PAN to 280 thousand. Similarly, 15 thousand have been registered for excise duty during these eight months, which increased the number of excise related PAN to 109 thousand.