Investor Awareness Program at National Media Centre, Gurgaon

Gurgaon, 21st September:- Delhi Stock Exchange Limited (DSE) in collaboration with Citizens Awareness Group, Chandigarh organized Investor Awareness Program under the aegis of Securities Market Awareness Campaign by SEBI in National Media Centre, Gurgaon.

It is felt that awareness pertaining to the stock market is lacking among investors. A lot of people cannot invest or hesitate to do so and many tend to make wrong decisions due to lack of information. Advising people not invest in a business they do not understand, investors were asked to look for companies with a sound management.

Mr. Surinder Verma, Chairman, Citizens Awareness Group, said “You would not buy a colour TV before visiting a few dealers and taking advice from some friends. But a rumour might prompt you to buy stocks worth Rs. 2 lacs. So most of the losses occurred in the stock market are a result of hasty decisions, greed and fear.” He also exemplified how even educated and high income group investors fail to follow the safeguards while investing in the stock market.

Mr. Arvind Kumar, Assistant General Manager, Securities Exchange Board of India, Northern Regional Office, (SEBI), New Delhi said that the presence of market regulator like SEBI and due to safe regulation adopted by various stock exchanges, the market has become far safer for small and medium investors. If investor enters in the market equipped with fundamental knowledge about the company they intend to invest in, they have fairly good chance of making a steady profit. He dwelt upon numerous aspect of the capital market like duties of investors, investor protection guidelines, trading and risk management etc.

Mr. H.C. Arora, Manager (Investor Services & Education), Delhi Stock Exchange Limited (DSE) said that whatever he had to say had been covered by his seniors. He further informed the participants that Mr. Arora also informed that DSE also receives and handles investor complaints against defaulting companies be it relating to non-receipt of share certificate, dividend, annual report. DSE takes up such complaints rigorously with the defaulting companies and it was a matter of great satisfaction that there has been full cooperation from the existing companies who respond to communication promptly and solve investors’ grievances in time.

Mr. Arora also informed that daily there are many walk-in investors to the exchange who have problems of various types and considering it as Exchanges’ bounden duty he tries to help them all in whatever maximum possible way the Exchange can.

Earlier, Mr. MN Verma, Chairman Delhi Stock Exchange Limited (DSE) who was Chief Guest on the occasion inaugurated the Investor Awareness Campaign by lighting the lamp and advised the investors that equities as compared to other investments have performed well and are the best long term bet.

Dr. Kulwant Singh, Secretary General, National Media Centre-Gurgaon, welcomed the Guests and conducted the proceedings. He said that those who are vary of risk should go in for other safer instruments such as mutual funds, bonds and other fixed deposits. He assured that his organization will continue to support such Investor Awareness Programs as these are in public interest.

In the second session, there was a panel discussions led by Prof. Sunanda Sen of Jawaharlal Nehru University. The other panelists included Mr. Chaitnya Kalbag and Mr. TCA Raghavan, the Senior Journalists.

Mr. Kalbag highlighted the need for smart savings and smart investments. He said that deepening of capital market will take much longer.

Mr. Raghavan argued for making investments safer. However, he was equally keen to know if the black money can be brought into the stock market.

Prof. Sunanda Sen highlighted the need for making investments that result in higher growth rate and more employment opportunities.

The program was attended by more than 100 general investors and the queries put forward by them were answered by the Panelists.
The workshop was concluded with a vote of thanks to the Chairman, Delhi Stock Exchange and Mr. Surinder Verma, Chairman, CAG, as well as the representative of SEBI.

Surinder Verma
Chairman – Citizen Awareness Group