IEPFA and Prasar Bharati Launch Investor Awareness Drive Through Doordarshan

Addressing the event, Akella highlighted the importance of collaborative outreach efforts in empowering citizens with financial knowledge and investor protection awareness.

In a significant move to strengthen investor protection and financial literacy across the country, the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with public broadcaster Prasar Bharati to expand nationwide investor awareness initiatives through Doordarshan's extensive television network.

The collaboration will see informative scroll messages related to investor education, financial safety and unclaimed financial assets broadcast across Doordarshan's national and regional channels, enabling critical information to reach millions of citizens, including those in remote and underserved regions.

Officials say the initiative reflects the Government of India's growing focus on improving financial inclusion, strengthening investor awareness and promoting responsible participation in the country's rapidly expanding financial ecosystem.

Public Broadcasting to Power Financial Awareness

The MoU signing ceremony was presided over by Smt Anita Shah Akella, Chief Executive Officer of IEPFA and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Addressing the event, Akella highlighted the importance of collaborative outreach efforts in empowering citizens with financial knowledge and investor protection awareness.

She emphasised that trusted public broadcasting platforms such as Doordarshan possess unmatched reach and credibility, making them ideal channels for disseminating critical investor-related information.

"Leveraging trusted public broadcasting platforms such as Doordarshan would enable critical information related to investor protection, unclaimed dividends and shares, and safe investing practices to reach a wider audience, including individuals in remote and underserved regions," Akella said.

Nationwide Campaign to Promote Investor Protection

Under the partnership, Doordarshan will broadcast investor awareness messages aimed at educating citizens about:

• Safe investing practices

• Investor protection mechanisms

• Fraud prevention

• Recovery of unclaimed dividends

• Recovery of unclaimed shares

• Financial literacy tools

• Official IEPFA claim procedures

Officials said the awareness campaign will be rolled out across multiple national and regional channels to ensure accessibility in diverse languages and geographic regions.

The initiative is expected to particularly benefit small investors, senior citizens and individuals who may be unaware of dormant financial assets linked to shares or dividends transferred to IEPFA.

Focus on Unclaimed Shares and Dividends

A central component of the campaign is educating investors about reclaiming unclaimed shares and dividends that have been transferred to the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority.

Under existing regulations, dividends and shares that remain unclaimed for a specified period are transferred to the IEPFA for safeguarding.

Many investors and their families, however, remain unaware that these assets can still be reclaimed through official procedures.

The campaign will encourage citizens to make use of:

• The IEPFA Search Facility

• Filing claims through Form IEPF-5

• Official investor assistance channels

Financial experts say awareness campaigns are crucial because large volumes of unclaimed financial assets often remain inaccessible simply due to lack of public information.

Strengthening Financial Inclusion and Literacy

The initiative comes at a time when India is witnessing rapid growth in retail investing, digital finance and public participation in capital markets.

Millions of new investors have entered financial markets in recent years through:

• Online trading platforms

• Mutual funds

• SIP investments

• Digital finance applications

• Demat accounts

At the same time, the growth of digital finance has also increased risks linked to:

• Investment fraud

• Cyber scams

• Ponzi schemes

• Fake financial advisory services

• Unregulated investment products

Officials said the campaign will therefore also focus strongly on promoting safe investment practices and fraud awareness.

Formal Signing Marks Strategic Collaboration

The MoU was formally signed by:

• Lt. Col. Aditya Sinha, General Manager, IEPFA

• Shri Sanjay Prasad, Deputy Director General, Prasar Bharati (Sales)

Officials described the agreement as a major step toward building stronger institutional collaboration in support of financial awareness and investor empowerment.

The partnership also reflects increasing use of public communication infrastructure to support governance, citizen education and financial inclusion objectives.

Doordarshan's Reach Seen as Major Advantage

Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan network remains one of India's largest and most far-reaching broadcasting platforms, with extensive penetration across urban, rural and remote regions.

Government officials believe leveraging public broadcasting networks can help bridge financial awareness gaps among populations that may have limited access to digital financial literacy resources.

Experts say television remains a highly effective medium for reaching:

• Rural households

• Elderly citizens

• First-time investors

• Financially underserved communities

• Regional-language audiences

The multilingual reach of Doordarshan's regional channels is expected to significantly improve the accessibility of investor awareness messaging.

IEPFA Expands Citizen Outreach Strategy

The MoU forms part of IEPFA's broader efforts to expand public engagement and improve awareness regarding investor rights and financial protections.

Officials said the authority remains committed to building an informed and financially empowered investor community through collaboration with key public institutions.

"The MoU underscores IEPFA's continued commitment to building an informed investor community and promoting financial inclusion through collaborative efforts with key public institutions," the Ministry stated.

Financial Literacy Becoming National Priority

India's financial ecosystem has expanded rapidly over the past decade, with increasing participation in equity markets, insurance products, retirement investments and digital financial services.

Policy experts say improving financial literacy is becoming increasingly important to ensure that citizens:

• Understand investment risks

• Avoid fraudulent schemes

• Access legitimate financial opportunities

• Protect long-term savings

• Exercise investor rights effectively

The collaboration between IEPFA and Prasar Bharati is expected to play an important role in advancing these goals while supporting broader national objectives related to financial inclusion and economic empowerment.

As India's investment landscape continues to evolve, authorities say investor education and awareness will remain critical pillars in building trust, transparency and responsible participation within the financial system.