Bhubaneswar: The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) on Tuesday organised an investor awareness programme in Bhubaneswar, where regulators, policymakers and market participants stressed the need to deepen retail participation and strengthen financial inclusion through wider adoption of mutual funds.
Addressing the gathering, Tuhin Kanta Pandey, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), said the securities market has emerged as a critical source of financing for businesses through instruments such as equities, debt, REITs, InvITs and municipal bonds, while mutual funds have become a key channel for retail investors to participate in India’s growth story.
Pandey highlighted several measures undertaken by SEBI to strengthen investor protection and improve ease of participation, including the validated UPI mechanism, SEBI Check and simplified nomination processes. He also referred to the launch of Project Jagrook, an investor outreach initiative aimed at enhancing financial literacy through multilingual communication, integrated media campaigns and coordinated efforts by SEBI and other securities market institutions.
The event was attended by Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra, principal secretary, finance, Government of Odisha, as the guest of honour, while D V Ramana delivered the keynote address.
Speaking at the programme, Venkat Chalasani said the next phase of growth for the mutual fund industry would increasingly come from emerging India, driven by rising awareness, systematic investment plans (SIPs) and expanding financial inclusion.
“The participation of households from smaller cities is steadily increasing, enabling more investors to become part of India’s long-term economic growth journey,” Chalasani said.
Industry data shared during the event showed that B-30 cities now account for nearly 19% of the mutual fund industry’s total assets under management (AUM), reflecting rising penetration beyond major urban centres. Women investors contribute more than 25% of unique mutual fund investors, underlining the growing diversification of the retail investor base.
The discussions also focused on the need to further improve investor education, transparency and trust in capital markets to support broader financial inclusion.