The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved a series of major projects, including an overhaul of the PAN system, an investment of Rs 36.89 billion in two hydropower projects, and three railway projects valued at Rs 79.27 billion, among other decisions.
According to a government statement, the PAN 2.0 Project, aimed at modernising taxpayer registration services through technology, has been allocated Rs 14.35 billion. The initiative seeks to upgrade the existing Permanent Account Number (PAN) ecosystem, ensuring greater efficiency and enhanced security to prevent misuse of taxpayer data.
The project will also mandate the use of a PAN data vault system for all entities utilizing PAN information and will introduce a robust technology-driven grievance redressal mechanism. Additionally, the upgrades, which include adding QR codes to PAN cards, will be offered free to taxpayers. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated during a Cabinet briefing that the initiative will feature a unified portal that is entirely paperless and online, with a focus on resolving grievances effectively.
The CCEA approved two hydropower projects in Arunachal Pradesh, with planned capacities of 240 MW for the Heo project and 186 MW for the Tato-I project. These projects will be developed by a joint venture between the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation and the Arunachal Pradesh government, with the state’s equity share funded through a central government grant. The Heo project is estimated to cost Rs 19.39 billion, while the Tato-I project is expected to require Rs 17.50 billion.
The committee also sanctioned three multitracking railway projects aimed at improving connectivity, enhancing travel convenience, reducing logistics costs, curbing oil imports, and lowering carbon emissions. Covering seven districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, these projects will expand the Indian Railways network by 639 kilometres.
