SEBI launches Saarthi 2.0: A Mobile App on Personal Finance for Investors

SEBI or the Securities and Exchange Board of India is a regulatory body of the securities and commodities market in India. It is administered under the Ministry of Finance within the Government of India. SEBI’s main functions include the protection of the interests of investors in securities and the regulation of securities market and market intermediaries.

Saarthi

Saarthi was originally launched by former chairman Ajay Tyagi with the aim of empowering investors with knowledge about the securities market. With the growing number of individual investors entering the market and the rise of usage of online platforms, the App proved useful in providing easy access to relevant information. The app created awareness about basic concepts of the Securities  Market,  KYC  Process,  trading and settlement,  mutual funds, recent market developments, investor grievances redressal mechanism, etc.

Features

The updated app introduces a user-friendly interface with comprehensive tools. It includes financial calculators, modules on KYC procedures, mutual funds, ETFs, buying and selling shares on stock exchanges, investor grievances redressal mechanism, and the Online Dispute Resolution(ODR) platform. Additionally, a range of videos are uploaded on the app to assist investors in their personal finance planning. Overall, the app is very dynamic and evolves with the current market conditions. It is available on Google Play Store and the iOS App Store.

Need For The App

In the press release statement issued on 3 June 2024, a whole-time member of SEBI, Shri Ananth Narayan G mentioned that in the generation of abundant biased and misleading information on social media, the Saarthi 2.0 app is an investors’ unbiased, objective and trusted source of investment information. SEBI, with the launch of new features on the app, aims to target young investors, to educate and evolve their minds into better investors.

Conclusion: BSE reported a total of 161 Million retail investors in India as of 2024. With the growing population comes a responsibility to educate them in a manner that is beneficial to them personally as well as to the Indian economy. SEBI as a regulator plays an important role in the protection of investors. Thus, the updated Saarthi App fosters financial literacy and empowered investors to ensure that they make sound financial decisions.

Disclaimer: This blog has been written exclusively for educational purposes. The securities mentioned are only examples and not recommendations. It is based on several secondary sources on the internet and is subject to changes. Please consult an expert before making related decisions.