Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday launched the nationwide awareness campaign “आपकी पूँजी, आपका अधिकार” (“Your Wealth, Your Right”) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, urging citizens to help spread awareness about unclaimed financial assets across the country. The event was attended by Gujarat Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai, DFS Secretary M. Nagaraju, senior officials of RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA, and representatives from major financial institutions.
Launching the campaign, the Finance Minister emphasized that “every rupee saved by citizens must return to them or their families”, stressing that unclaimed deposits, dividends, insurance proceeds, mutual fund balances, and pensions represent the hard-earned savings of ordinary citizens.
Sitharaman outlined the three guiding principles of the campaign – the “3 A’s” of Awareness, Accessibility, and Action – aimed at ensuring that citizens are informed, empowered, and supported through a transparent, time-bound process to reclaim their rightful savings.
“Together, these three pillars will bridge the gap between citizens and financial institutions, ensuring that everyone can reclaim their savings with dignity and ease,” she said.
Highlighting the success of previous KYC and re-KYC drives led by regional rural banks and state institutions, the Finance Minister noted that such initiatives have strengthened citizens’ connection to the formal financial system. She urged all institutions to show similar dedication to ensure that no citizen remains separated from their rightful money.
The Minister also handed over certificates to several beneficiaries who successfully reclaimed their unclaimed deposits.
Gujarat Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai, speaking on the occasion, said it was a matter of pride that the nationwide campaign was being launched from Gujarat and assured full state support. He said that reconnecting citizens with their unclaimed deposits would help in education, empowerment, and financial security.
In a message read during the event, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who represents Gandhinagar in Parliament, congratulated the Finance Ministry and said the initiative symbolized a collective effort to strengthen public trust, dignity, and empowerment, beyond merely returning financial assets.
According to DFS Secretary M. Nagaraju, as of August 2025, more than ₹75,000 crore of unclaimed deposits have been transferred to the RBI’s Depositor Education and Awareness Fund. Unclaimed insurance proceeds stand at ₹13,800 crore, mutual fund balances at ₹3,000 crore, and unpaid dividends exceed ₹9,000 crore. Nearly 172 crore shares have also been transferred to the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF).
“Claims must be processed quickly, fairly, and without hurdles so that citizens walk away with clarity and confidence,” Nagaraju said.
The Finance Minister underscored that this campaign builds on India’s broader financial inclusion efforts – including Jan Dhan Yojana, UPI, and Direct Benefit Transfers – to ensure citizens not only access financial services but also reclaim what rightfully belongs to them.
The three-month campaign (October–December 2025) will be held across all States and Union Territories, featuring digital demonstrations, helpdesks, and district-level outreach programs to assist citizens in tracing and claiming their unclaimed financial assets.
Coordinated by the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, the initiative brings together RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA, and IEPFA, along with banks, insurance companies, mutual funds, and pension institutions on a common platform, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to citizen-centric governance and financial empowerment for all.
