The government is working on linking all bank accounts to Aadhaar numbers.

Highlights From July PAN card not linked to Aadhaar will be considered invalid

PAN is essential for basic financial transactions like receiving a salary

Government is working on linking all bank accounts to Aadhaar numbers

When you file your income tax return, you will have to include your Aadhaar number, the government has proposed today in parliament. Any application for a Permanent Account Number or PAN, which is a unique ID assigned to each tax payer, will also have to state your Aadhaar or 12-digit unique ID, which is backed by biometrics like finger prints and iris scans stored in a central repository.The new rules kick in starting July, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said. Because they are amendments to the Finance Bill, the government should have no trouble having them cleared in parliament. The Finance Bill is a Money Bill, for which the Lok Sabha's clearance is necessary - and the government has a huge majority here. The Rajya Sabha, where the government is in a minority, cannot reject a Money Bill and any recommendations it offers are not binding.From July 1 onwards, any PAN card not linked to an Aadhaar identity will be considered invalid. PAN is essential for basic financial transactions like receiving a salary.Here's how to do that: Head towards an Aadhaar enrolment centre immediately if you don't have an Aadhaar card and planning to file income tax return or want to apply for a PAN card.The government is working on linking all bank accounts to Aadhaar numbers. And from April 1 onwards, Aadhaar IDs will be a pre-requisite for opening an Employee Provident Fund account that helps you collate a pension.

The Aadhaar program was introduced by the previous UPA government in 2009. By offering instantaneous checking of a person's credentials, it aims at making it much easier to open a bank account, or for legitimate beneficiaries to receive subsidies in welfare reform schemes.