Synopsis: Over ₹1.84 trillion lies unclaimed in banks, insurance, PF, and shares across India. The RBI’s UDGAM portal offers a simple, centralised way to trace, verify, and reclaim your forgotten funds. Here’s how it empowers customers.
Government’s ‘Apki Punji, Apka Adhikar’ Campaign
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the campaign in Gandhinagar on October 4, 2025. The drive highlights the massive amount of unclaimed deposits and financial assets across banks and regulators. The government assures that the money is safe, but citizens must claim it with proper documents.
What is an “Unclaimed Deposit”?
An unclaimed deposit is money lying in a bank account that hasn’t been operated or claimed for a long period.
As per RBI rules, amounts in accounts with no customer-initiated transactions for 10 years (or 10 years from the
maturity date for term deposits) are treated as unclaimed and are transferred by banks to the RBI’s
Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund. You can still claim this money anytime.
Which deposits can become “unclaimed”?
- Savings / Current Accounts: No customer-initiated transactions for 10 years.
- Fixed / Recurring Deposits (FD/RD): Not claimed/redeemed for 10 years from the maturity date.
- Term Deposits renewed automatically: If not touched/claimed for 10 years after maturity.
- Unpaid balances linked to accounts: Interest/charges credited but account otherwise inoperative for 10 years.
- Other bank deposit balances that remain untouched and meet the 10-year criterion under RBI norms.
Tip: Use RBI’s UDGAM portal to search across banks and start your claim with the respective bank.
The 3A Approach: Awareness, Access, Action
- Awareness: Citizens must know their money exists. Banks and officials are spreading information nationwide, especially in rural areas.
- Access: With the RBI’s UDGAM portal and local help desks, tracking forgotten deposits has become easier than ever.
- Action: Once identified, claimants must submit the necessary paperwork to retrieve funds.
What is the UDGAM Portal?
The Unclaimed Deposits Gateway to Access Information (UDGAM), launched by RBI in 2023, is a one-stop digital platform to trace dormant deposits across multiple banks. Over 8.5 lakh users have already registered. Earlier, customers had to approach banks individually; now, everything is centralised under UDGAM.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Use UDGAM
- Visit udgam.rbi.org.in.To directly access the UDGAM portal, click here to visit UDGAM.
- Select the Individual tab for personal deposits.
- Enter details like account holder’s name, bank name, and one of these:
- PAN
- Voter ID
- Driving Licence
- Passport Number
- Date of Birth
- Click Search to view results.
- The system will display the bank, name, and a reference number.
- Clicking on the bank’s name redirects you to its claim process page.
- Submit required identity and relationship proofs (in case of heirs or nominees) to recover funds.
Why UDGAM Matters for You
- No need to visit multiple banks individually.
- Centralised access to all dormant accounts.
- Free, simple, and transparent process.
- Supports account holders, nominees, and heirs alike.
📌 Final Note
If you or your family have old bank accounts, FDs, PF balances, or insurance policies, there’s a chance money is waiting for you. With ₹1.84 trillion unclaimed, the UDGAM portal is your gateway to reclaiming what is rightfully yours. Don’t let your hard-earned money go unused — search today!
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