New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a new campaign called 'Your Money, Your Right' to help people claim their unclaimed financial assets on Saturday. The goal is to return money lying with banks and financial regulators to its rightful owners.
This campaign will run for three months across India.
Rs 1.84 Lakh Crore Unclaimed
According to the minister, around Rs 1.84 lakh crore is lying unclaimed in the form of bank deposits, insurance money, provident funds, and shares. These assets are currently held by banks, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), SEBI, and the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF).
Sitharaman stressed that the money is completely safe and that people can claim it anytime with proper documents.
Focus on Awareness, Access, and Action
The finance minister urged all officials to focus on three key areas during the campaign:
Awareness – Letting people know they might have unclaimed money
Access – Making the claim process easier
Action – Ensuring people actually get their money back
How to Claim the Money
Sitharaman said that over time, if no one claims the money, it gets transferred from one authority to another—for example, from banks to the RBI, or from SEBI to IEPF.
To make this easier, the RBI has launched a portal called UDGAM (Unclaimed Deposits – Gateway to Access Information). Through this online platform, people can check and claim their money easily.
The minister added, 'Once a claim is made with valid documents, the money will be returned without delay. The government is only the caretaker, the money belongs to the people.'
