‘Your Money, Your Right’: Nirmala Sitharaman Launches Nationwide Campaign To Help Citizens Reclaim Unclaimed Financial Assets

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently launched a nationwide awareness and outreach campaign titled “Aapki Punji, Aapka Adhikar” (Your Money, Your Right) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. This initiative, which is set to run through October to the end of 2025, intends to help citizens retrieve their unclaimed deposits and other idle financial assets that are lying with banks, insurance companies, pension funds, and market intuitions.

Speaking at the launch, the finance minister had underlined the scale of the issue, noting that unclaimed savings are not just accounting entries but the hard-earned money of ordinary families. “Every rupee saved by citizens must return to them or their families. These deposits and balances represent savings that can support education, healthcare, and financial security,” she said.

3As of fund recovery

The campaign is built on what Sitharaman called the 3A’s meaning Awareness, Accessibility, and Action. This includes educating citizens about how to trace unclaimed assets, offering simplified digital tools and district-level outreach, and ensuring timely and transparent claim settlements.

According to official figures:

• More than Rs 75,000 crore of unclaimed deposits are currently parked with the central bank’s Depositor Education and Awareness Fund.

• In addition, unclaimed insurance proceeds are estimated at Rs 13,800 crore

• Unpaid dividends at over Rs 9,000 crore

• Mutual fund balances at around Rs 3,000 crore

• Nearly 172 crore shares have also been transferred to the Investor Education and Protection Fund

The Department of Financial Services (DFS) is coordinating the campaign with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai), Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), and the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA).

Gujarat Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai, present at the launch, described the initiative as a “benchmark in citizen-centric governance.” A recorded message from Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasised that the drive represents not only the return of money but also an effort to strengthen public trust and dignity.

A financial inclusion exhibition was also organised alongside the launch, with stalls from banks, insurers, pension bodies, and mutual fund houses demonstrating digital claim tools. Certificates were handed over to beneficiaries who successfully retrieved their unclaimed deposits.

The campaign will travel across every district in the country over the next three months. Digital helpdesks and on-the-spot assistance will guide citizens on updating records, filing claims, and using official platforms to locate unclaimed assets.

The officials have noted that the aim of this campaign is to make financial inclusion more meaningful and accessible by ensuring that citizens can reclaim the money that rightfully belongs to them.