Govt drive returns Rs 2,000 crore unclaimed savings to rightful owners

New Delhi, Dec 26 The government has succeeded in returning to the rightful owners a total amount of nearly Rs 2,000 crore that was stuck as "unclaimed savings" across banks, insurance, mutual funds, dividends, shares, and retirement benefits held within the regulated financial system, according to an official statement issued on Friday.

The funds have been restored through the Centre’s “Your Money, Your Right” nationwide awareness and facilitation initiative, launched in October 2025 to help citizens identify and reclaim unclaimed financial assets. The initiative is being coordinated by the Finance Ministry’s Department of Financial Services, with financial sector regulators reaching across digital portals with district-level facilitation.

Across generations, Indian families have saved carefully through opening bank accounts, purchasing insurance policies, investing in mutual funds, earning dividends from shares, and setting aside money for retirement. These financial decisions are taken with a hope and responsibility, often to secure children’s education, support healthcare needs, and ensure dignity in old age.

Yet, over time, a significant portion of these hard-earned savings has remained unclaimed. The money has not vanished, nor has it been misused. It lies safely with regulated financial institutions, separated from its rightful owners due to a lack of awareness, outdated records, changes in residence, or missing documentation. In many cases, families are simply unaware that such assets exist.

The volume of unclaimed financial assets in India is significant and spans multiple segments of the formal financial system. Indicative estimates suggest that Indian banks together hold around Rs 78,000 crore in unclaimed deposits. Unclaimed insurance policy proceeds are estimated at nearly Rs 14,000 crore, while unclaimed amounts in mutual funds are about Rs 3,000 crore. In addition, unclaimed dividends account for around Rs 9,000 crore, according to official figures.

Together, these amounts underline the scale of unclaimed savings belonging to citizens that continue to remain unused, despite being securely held within the financial system.

Your Money, Your Right is a nationwide effort to reconnect citizens with these forgotten financial assets and ensure that money that belongs to individuals and families ultimately finds its way back to them.

These unclaimed financial assets arise when money held with financial institutions is not claimed by the account holder or their legal heirs for a prolonged period. Such assets include:

*Bank deposits such as savings accounts, current accounts, fixed deposits, and recurring deposits that have not been operated for ten years or more.

*Insurance policy proceeds that remain unpaid beyond the due date

*Mutual fund redemption proceeds or dividends that could not be credited due to reasons such as a change in bank account, bank account closure, incomplete bank account in records, etc.

*Dividends and shares that remain unclaimed and are transferred to statutory authorities

*Pension and retirement benefits that are not claimed within the normal course

In most cases, assets may become unclaimed because of routine life events such as migration for work, changes in contact details, closure of old bank accounts, or lack of information among family members and legal heirs.

The Government is coordinating with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) to help citizens identify, access and reclaim financial assets that legally belong to them, using simple processes and transparent systems.

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