Gandhinagar, Gujarat, 4 October(HS): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a three-month nationwide financial awareness campaign titled “आपकी पूँजी, आपका अधिकार” (Your Money, Your Right) in Gandhinagar, aimed at helping citizens trace and reclaim their unclaimed financial assets including deposits, insurance proceeds, dividends, mutual fund balances, and pensions.
Speaking at the launch event alongside Gujarat Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai and senior officials from the Ministry of Finance and financial regulatory bodies, Sitharaman emphasized that unclaimed assets represent the hard-earned savings of ordinary families that support education, healthcare, and financial security.
The campaign is founded on the “3 A’s” principle: Awareness, Accessibility, and Action. Awareness focuses on informing all citizens about tracing unclaimed assets; Accessibility ensures simplified digital tools and extensive district-level outreach; Action aims for time-bound, transparent claim settlements.
Sitharaman underscored that these pillars are critical to bridging the gap between citizens and financial institutions, enabling rightful claimants to reclaim their savings with dignity and ease.Highlighting the success of recent Know Your Customer (KYC) efforts by regional rural banks like Gujarat Gramin Bank, the Finance Minister called for continued dedication to outreach, ensuring no citizen remains separated from their rightful funds. She also personally presented certificates to beneficiaries who had successfully reclaimed unclaimed deposits.
State Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai expressed pride in Gujarat hosting the campaign launch and assured full support for its success. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a message, lauded the initiative as a collective effort to strengthen public trust and empowerment.
Secretary, Department of Financial Services M. Nagaraju reported that as of August 2025, over ₹1.84 lakh crore of unclaimed financial assets are held safely across banks and regulators, including ₹75,000 crore in deposits, ₹13,800 crore in insurance proceeds, ₹3,000 crore in mutual funds, and ₹9,000 crore in unpaid dividends. He stressed the importance of swift, fair, and barrier-free claim processing to build citizen confidence.This campaign builds on India’s broader achievements in financial inclusion, such as Jan Dhan Yojana and UPI, by ensuring citizens not only access financial services but reclaim their rightful savings.
The campaign will run across all States and Union Territories from October to December 2025, featuring digital demonstrations and helpdesks to aid citizens in reclaiming unclaimed financial assets, reflecting the government’s commitment to transparent, citizen-centric governance and ease of living.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
