File photo: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman (PTI)

AHMEDABAD: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday launched a nationwide campaign to return Rs 1.84 lakh crore of unclaimed financial assets lying with banks, RBI, insurance firms, mutual funds, provident fund accounts and other institutions to their rightful owners.The three-month programme also seeks to raise awareness. “These unclaimed amounts are not government property but belong to individuals and families,” Sitharaman said. “Decades have passed when people voiced the need to return unclaimed monies from banks, RBI, or the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF). This is their money.”She said such funds often arise due to missing documentation, forgotten policies or lack of awareness. “It is like a ripe fruit hanging within reach but not falling into the hands of those to whom it belongs,” she remarked.The campaign rests on three pillars – Awareness, Access and Action. Awareness means informing people about unclaimed money; Access through RBI’s UDGAM portal; and Action, where officials act on even small clues to help claimants.