Introduction
The Your Money, Your Right initiative is a landmark government effort aimed at empowering citizens to reclaim unclaimed financial assets and strengthen trust in the formal financial system.
Through Your Money, Your Right, citizens can easily identify and recover forgotten savings held with banks, insurers, mutual funds, and pension authorities.
Overall, Your Money, Your Right plays a crucial role in promoting financial inclusion and citizen ownership in India.
Across generations, Indian households have saved diligently—opening bank accounts, buying insurance policies, investing in mutual funds, earning dividends from shares, and setting aside money for retirement. These savings were meant to secure education, healthcare, and dignity in later years.
Yet, over time, a significant portion of these hard-earned funds has remained unclaimed. The money has not disappeared. It remains safely parked within regulated financial institutions, disconnected from rightful owners due to reasons such as migration, outdated contact details, missing documentation, or lack of awareness among family members and legal heirs.
To address this long-standing issue, the Government of India launched “आपकी पूंजी, आपका अधिकार – Your Money, Your Right”, a nationwide initiative aimed at reconnecting citizens with their forgotten financial assets and strengthening citizen ownership.
What Are Unclaimed Financial Assets?
Unclaimed financial assets refer to money held with financial institutions that has not been claimed by the account holder or legal heirs for a prolonged period. These include:
Bank deposits (savings, current, fixed, and recurring deposits) inactive for ten years or more
Insurance policy proceeds unpaid beyond the due date
Mutual fund redemption amounts or dividends not credited due to bank or KYC issues
Dividends and shares transferred to statutory authorities after remaining unclaimed
Pension and retirement benefits not claimed in the normal course
In most cases, these assets become unclaimed due to routine life events such as relocation, change in contact details, closure of old bank accounts, or lack of information among heirs.
“Your Money, Your Right” Initiative: A Citizen-Centric Approach
Launched in October 2025, the Your Money, Your Right initiative is a nationwide awareness and facilitation campaign coordinated by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance.
It is implemented in collaboration with key financial sector regulators, including:
Reserve Bank of India
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India
Securities and Exchange Board of India
Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority
Core Objective
To help citizens identify, access, and reclaim financial assets that legally belong to them through simple, transparent, and technology-enabled processes.
The Scale of Unclaimed Money in India
The magnitude of unclaimed assets in India highlights the importance of this initiative:
| Segment | Estimated Unclaimed Amount |
|---|---|
| Bank Deposits | ₹78,000 crore |
| Insurance Proceeds | ₹14,000 crore |
| Mutual Funds | ₹3,000 crore |
| Dividends & Shares | ₹9,000 crore |
These figures underline the vast pool of citizen-owned savings lying unused despite being securely held in the formal financial system.
Why Unclaimed Assets Matter
Unclaimed money is not merely a financial statistic—it has real human consequences.
For families, it may delay access to funds needed for education, healthcare, or emergencies.
For senior citizens, it may involve pensions or insurance benefits critical for financial security.
At a systemic level, unclaimed assets weaken trust and participation in the formal financial system.
By addressing this gap, Your Money, Your Right strengthens household finances while enhancing the credibility and inclusiveness of financial institutions.
Digital Platforms for Tracing Unclaimed Assets
1. Unclaimed Bank Deposits – UDGAM Portal
The UDGAM portal, developed by the RBI, provides a centralized search facility for unclaimed bank deposits across participating banks.
Deposits unclaimed for 10 years or more are transferred to the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (DEA Fund).
Ownership remains with the customer or legal heirs—there is no time limit for claiming.
🔗 https://udgam.rbi.org.in/unclaimed-deposits/#/login
2. Insurance Proceeds – Bima Bharosa Portal
The Bima Bharosa portal enables tracing of unclaimed insurance policy proceeds.
Amounts unpaid beyond 12 months are treated as unclaimed.
Proceeds unclaimed for 10 years are transferred to the Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund (SCWF).
Beneficiaries can claim amounts up to 25 years from the date of transfer.
Preventive measures include Aadhaar and PAN linkage, DigiLocker storage, and updated nominations.
🔗 https://bimabharosa.irdai.gov.in/
3. Mutual Fund Investments – MITRA Portal
The Mutual Fund Investment Tracing and Retrieval Assistant (MITRA), hosted on MF Central, helps investors trace:
Unclaimed redemption or dividend amounts
Inactive folios with no transactions for 10 years
Funds are transferred to designated unclaimed schemes but remain fully claimable.
🔗 https://app.mfcentral.com/investor/signin
4. Dividends and Shares – IEPFA Portal
Dividends and shares unclaimed for seven consecutive years are transferred to the IEPFA.
No fee for filing claims
No time limit for reclaiming assets
🔗 https://www.iepf.gov.in/content/iepf/global/master/Home/Home.html
Taking the Initiative to the Ground
The campaign followed a three-month nationwide drive (October–December 2025) across all States and Union Territories, anchored in the 3A Framework:
Awareness
Accessibility
Action
On-Ground Implementation
668 districts covered through facilitation camps
Helpdesks and digital kiosks set up for on-the-spot assistance
Coordinated by State-Level Bankers’ Committees and Insurance Committees
Encouraged KYC completion and enrolment in financial inclusion schemes
District-Level Outcomes and Progress
The district-level approach translated national objectives into measurable results:
Dormant accounts identified
Claims initiated and processed
On-the-spot settlements in several cases
Key Achievement
👉 Nearly ₹2,000 crore returned to rightful owners through coordinated efforts of government departments, regulators, and financial institutions.
Beyond monetary recovery, the initiative significantly improved awareness about nominations, documentation, and long-term financial planning.
Conclusion
आपकी पूंजी, आपका अधिकार – Your Money, Your Right is a powerful, citizen-first initiative that reconnects individuals and families with financial assets that rightfully belong to them. By combining digital innovation with grassroots outreach, the initiative closes a critical gap in the financial system.
At a broader level, it strengthens trust in institutions, promotes financial inclusion, and ensures that personal savings remain accessible, protected, and transferable. In doing so, Your Money, Your Right contributes to a more transparent, responsive, and inclusive financial ecosystem—where every citizen truly owns what is theirs.
FAQs on Your Money, Your Right Initiative
Q1. What is Your Money, Your Right initiative?
Your Money, Your Right is a government-led campaign to help citizens trace and reclaim unclaimed bank deposits, insurance proceeds, mutual funds, dividends, and pensions.
Q2. Who launched Your Money, Your Right?
The initiative is coordinated by the Department of Financial Services under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
Q3. Which assets are covered under Your Money, Your Right?
The initiative covers unclaimed bank deposits, insurance money, mutual funds, dividends, shares, and retirement benefits.
Q4. How can citizens reclaim unclaimed money?
Citizens can use portals like UDGAM, Bima Bharosa, MITRA, and IEPFA, or visit district-level facilitation camps.
Q5. Is there any fee to claim unclaimed financial assets?
No. Claiming unclaimed assets under Your Money, Your Right is completely free.
Q6. Why is Your Money, Your Right important for competitive exams?
It is a key current affairs topic for UPSC, NDA, CDS, and other defence exams related to financial inclusion and governance.
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