Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today launched the nationwide ‘Aapki Punji Aapka Adhikar’ campaign from Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The campaign aims to facilitate the speedy settlement of unclaimed financial assets lying across various sectors of the financial system.

Addressing the gathering, the Finance Minister said, the campaign will ensure the rightful return of unclaimed deposits to their legitimate claimants.

She urged to spread of awareness about the initiative to ensure access to beneficiaries. Emphasising the importance of bridging the gap between financial institutions and claimants, she said, this step is crucial for the financial empowerment of the people.

Speaking on the occasion, Gujarat’s Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai described the campaign as a benchmark in citizen-centric governance. He assured that unclaimed assets lying with various financial institutions in Gujarat would be settled promptly.

The minister also expressed gratitude to the Central Government for launching several citizen-centric initiatives, including income tax relief and GST reforms.

Over the next three months, the campaign will cover every district in the country. It will focus on the easy and speedy resolution of unclaimed assets held by banks, insurance companies, pension funds, and stock and mutual fund companies.

One lakh 82 thousand crore worth of unclaimed assets are currently lying with various financial institutions across the country. During the event, several claimants were awarded certificates confirming the retrieval of their unclaimed assets.