About Income Tax Department
The Income Tax Department (ITD), functioning under the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Ministry of Finance, is the apex authority responsible for administering direct taxes in India. Beyond tax collection and enforcement, the department oversees the issuance of the Permanent Account Number (PAN) — a unique 10-character alphanumeric identifier required for filing income tax returns, opening bank accounts, high-value financial transactions, and most government and private-sector KYC processes. PAN card services, including new applications, corrections, reprints, and e-PAN downloads, are processed through ITD-authorized agencies NSDL (Protean) and UTIITSL, making this one of the most frequently used government services in the country.

