Sudhir Tiwari**,,
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has undertaken a number of programmes for awareness and protection of small investors.
- Investor awareness programmes, which are being conducted in partnership with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Institute of Company Secretaries of India and Institute of Cost Accountants of India, specifically target investors in smaller cities and towns. Out of 2000 such programmes conducted in the country during 2011-12, about 1800 programmes were held in smaller cities and towns (other than Metros and State capitals).
- Hosting of website http:/www.iepf.gov.in for providing simple and user friendly educational and awareness content to all the investors.
- Publication of a comprehensive guide in English and two smaller booklets in English, Hindi and 11 vernacular languages for use of investors. The same are distributed to all the investors participating in the investor awareness programmes.
- Creation of facility on the MCA21 website for lodging investor complaints and for tracking their status.
- Multi-lingual media advertisements are issued from time to time to caution the investors about fraudulent investment schemes.
- Information about such persons and entities, who have been indicted under different economic laws of the country, is being provided through the website http:/www. Watchoutinvestors.com
- Besides, organizations like SEBI also runs initiatives for sensitizing small investors.
To conduct these programmes the Ministry allocated a sizeable amount which has been utilized during the last three years as:
Financial Year | Funds allocated (in Rs.) | Funds utilized (in Rs.) |
2009-2010 | 5,00,00,000/- | 3,42,27,000/- |
2010-2011 | 5,00,00,000/- | 4,35,39,000/- |
2011-2012 | 5,00,00,000/- | 4,98,99,000/- |
The details regarding the investor awareness programmes, the multi-lingual media campaign, the printed material and the content are available on the website http:/www.iepf.gov.in. This step has brought large scale awareness amongst the investors so as to make decision about investments more prudently. Likewise registry of economic offenders/entities at the website http:/www.watchoutinvestors.com has also helped in cautioning the investors before making investment with such entities. In addition, the facility for lodging investor complaints in the MCA21 is serving as a useful electronic platform for lodging and redressing the complaints of the investors.
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*Deputy Director (M&C), New Delhi.
