SEBI and MCA to Organise Nationwide Campaigns to Educate Investors Across India:

SEBI and MCA to Organise Nationwide Campaigns to Educate Investors Across India The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) are starting a countrywide campaign to help people get back their unclaimed shares and dividends. This initiative follows the direction of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and aims to make the claiming process faster and easier.

What Are Unclaimed Shares and Dividends?

Unclaimed shares and dividends are money or investments that belong to someone but haven’t been claimed for many years. This usually happens when people forget about the shares they bought or don’t update important details like their address or bank account. So, when a company sends out dividends, they can’t reach the right person. By law, if the money or shares aren’t claimed for 7 years, they are moved to the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA). The rightful owner can still claim them, but many people don’t know how. Sometimes the shares were in paper form and got lost, or the owner passed away without telling family members. To help in such cases, SEBI and MCA are setting up special camps and online services to guide people through the recovery process.

Goals of the Investor Awareness Camps

These "Investor Camps" will be held in many cities, and their main goals are:

• Faster Processing: Speed up the time it takes to verify and refund unclaimed dividends and shares.
• Help with KYC & Nominations: Many claims fail because personal info (KYC) is outdated or missing. Camps will help update these details.
• Fix Claim Errors: Experts at the camps will help investors correct any mistakes in their claim forms.
• Follow Up with Firms: If a company is not responding to an investor’s request, the officials will help push the company to act quickly.
• Spread Awareness: Numerous individuals don’t know they have unclaimed money. These camps will educate and guide them on how to claim it.

'Niveshak Shivirs' – One-Stop Help Centres for Investors

These camps, called Niveshak Shivirs, will act as one-stop help centres where investors can:

• Update KYC details
• Add or update nominee details
• Resolve errors in claim forms
• Get help if companies are not replying

Company representatives and Registrar and Transfer Agents (RTAs) will also be present to assist. This is especially helpful for those holding physical share certificates, as they can start the process to convert them into a digital format.

Special Focus on Senior Citizens

In order to support older investors, the MCA plans to lower the priority age from 75 to 70 years, and later possibly to 60 years. This means senior citizens will be given faster processing and support.

New Online Portal Coming Soon

The MCA also plans to launch a user-friendly online portal to guide investors in recovering their unclaimed money and shares, by August. This will include tools, information, and step-by-step help.

Encouraging Companies to Join

Companies with a large amount of unclaimed shares will be encouraged to take part in these camps to help solve investor issues directly and speed up the claim process.

Positive Industry Response

Compliance Calendar LLP, a leading IEPF and compliance firm, welcomed the initiative. Co-founder CS Gaurav Kumar said: “This will be a big help for families struggling to recover unclaimed shares. The face-to-face support at these camps will solve many issues quickly. We are ready to assist anyone who needs help filing claims or gathering documents.”

What Should You Do Next?

If you believe you or a relative may have unclaimed dividends or shares:

• Visit the IEPF Website: Visit the official website of IEPF and search for your name, folio number, or company name.
• Collect Documents: Collect necessary documents such as PAN card, Aadhaar card, share certificates, bank details, and any inheritance documents.
• Check Camp Dates: Watch for updates on SEBI and MCA websites or social media to find out when camps will happen in your area.
• Fill out Form IEPF-5: This online form is required to claim your money or shares from IEPF.