Is your PAN card active?

A recent report mentioned that over 11.44 lakh PAN cards have been deactivated over the time for multiple reasons. These may include reasons of multiple issuing of PAN card to the same person, or the ones issued to non-existing person. System of generating PAN cards might have become a bit robust over the time, but I guess, few years back, it wasn't. Just like in recent times, there have been stories about issuing Aadhar cards, where it could be issued to even monkeys or trees, probably issuing PAN card had no control.
But, seems things are a bit different now. Infact, every person who is involved in some kind of monetary transactions has to have a PAN Card. Even my 80 years old father has one, although, he himself spends only Rs.5 every day to buy flowers for Puja, from the stall close to our home. Now, that attempts are being taken to crosscheck the validity of these cards, every one need to be aware of the way to check, whether their card is still valid or the government has deactivated it. Ofcourse, there is higher probability of it being valid and active, but there is no harm in confirming it. And that too when it easy.
All we have to do is to visit this page of income tax department:
http://www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/

Once on the page, your have to click on the option of "Know you PAN" .
A window will window asking for some of your details. I believe there is no harm in providing these informations here, on an official government website. In here, there is one query about status. This could be little confusing, as it tries to distinguish you as an individual or Hindu un-divided family, a trust, firm, company. But in general case, one should choose option "individual" to check your own personal PAN card status. You have to provide a mobile number. Once you enter these details, an OTP will be generated and sent to your mobile number. Enter this OTP and it will provide you with details of your PAN card as well as its present status.
The process is pretty simple. It just helps you to confirm details of PAN card, which has now become a core of all the monetary transactions.
A news appeared a couple of days back to inform people of this process, which I am pretty sure many of us must have missed. Even I checked it accidentally, a couple of days later. That's why this post.

Baithe Rahane ka Time Khatam: Times of India Commercial

The Times of India along with Maruti Suzuki has come up with a new commercial trying to awake people making them realize of their responsibility towards the Country and the Society. The commercial indicates that its time to take things in your hand and not to rely on the politicians and bureaucrats who pretty much do nothing but sit idly on the responsible seats and use its power for their own purpose. The commercial also suggests that its also time for people to wake up and instead of continuing their casual attitude to just criticize others for no change around but actually take the responsibility of change in their hands. The commercial  symbolically indicates by burning all the chairs around to wake up and do something to bring a change.

 When I first saw this commercial I first thought, it is another ad in the sequence by the present Government to show off their good work, released recently considering the upcoming Loksabha elections. But towards the end one realizes the origin is different. Apparently it has not created the kind of impression that was expected. The music behind the commercial can actually a good grip if you listen it again and again ( just like I did to write this post). The lyrics are not that impressive. Seems the song writer was given few words in advance and compelled to make a song out of those. 

Secondly, I am really not sure if such ads are going to create even a small ripple any more. People have learnt their lessons. Had it been few years back when Anna Hazare or  Arvind Kejriwal or Baba Ramdev were trying to bring revolution based on Janadhar, things would have worked. But every body has by now seen how such attempts to bring revolution are crushed down. I would request Times of India to actually suggest the ways by which people can bring the situation of "Time Khatam" that this song keeps on repeating.

Over all the commercial is OK. You can see it once in a while, try to rhyme it, but surely no body would take it seriously.  If you are interested, here are the lyrics I could understand. Except for one word, I have pretty much written it down correct. If you find any mistake or wish to fill up the missing word, write it in the comments and I will edit it.

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Baithe rahane ka time khatam

Ab main hi woh, ab main hi hum

Narebaji se tang hoon main

Na kisi paksha ke sang hoon main

Ye jimma mera jimma hain

Jimmedari ka anga hoon main

Baithe rahane ka time khatam

Iljaamon ka ab time khatam

Tu tu main main ka time khatam

Ab main hi woh, ab main hi hum

Baithe rahane ka time khatam

Doshi kahane ka time khatam 

Tu tu main main ka time khatam

Ab main hi hoon, ab main hi hoon

Meri -----,     ye meri jimmedari

Ye woh sab sare main hi hoon

Mujhse hi uttar pana hai

Kayar bhi main, shayar bhi main

Mujhme hi antar lana hai

Baithe rahane ka time khatam

Iljaamon ka ab time khatam

Tu tu main main ka time khatam

Ab main hi woh, ab main hi hum

Baithe rahane ka time khatam

Doshi kahane ka time khatam 

Tu tu main main ka time khatam

Ab main hi woh, ab main hi hum

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