Want PAN card? That too instant? Here is how you can apply for it online - Check the step-by-step guide

As per the announcement made in the Union Budget, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman launched the facility for instant allotment of PAN (on near to real-time basis). This facility is now available for those PAN applicants who possess a valid Aadhaar number and have a mobile number registered with Aadhaar. The allotment process is paperless and an electronic PAN (e-PAN) is issued to the applicants free of cost. How to apply for instant PAN online - Check step-by-step guide:

- The instant PAN applicant is required to access the e-filing website of the Income Tax Department (www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in)to provide her/his valid Aadhaar number

-  Then submit the OTP received on her/his Aadhaar registered mobile number

- On successful completion of this process, a 15-digit acknowledgement number is generated.

- If required, the applicant can check the status of the request anytime by providing her/his valid Aadhaar number

- On successful allotment, can download the e-PAN

- The e-PAN is also sent to the applicant on her/his email id, if it is registered with Aadhaar.

Meanwhile, on June 5, NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Ltd (NSDL e-Gov) had said that it has terminated its agreement with Alankit Ltd as a Tax Information Network facilitator (TIN FC) or Permanent Account Number (PAN) Centre on account of non- remittance of PAN applications fees and TDS filing fees collected from applicants and filers.

"Alankit Ltd is no longer a facilitation centre service provider for NSDL e-Gov and cannot provide services on its behalf for accepting and processing PAN applications, e-TDS/e-TCS Statements etc," an NSDL statement said. Anyone desiring to apply for a PAN card or for making 'change requests' in a PAN Card can visit any of NSDL e-Gov's 17,209 centres across the country or use its online services available on www.tin-nsdl.com.

Also, e-TDS or e-TCS Statements filers can submit their returns or statements through any of the 4,142 centres across the country. A complete list of all NSDL e-Gov's TIN facilitation centres or PAN Centres is available on its website.