**Summary:**
On August 29, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) hosted a Municipal Bond Outreach Programme in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The initiative aimed to equip Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with the knowledge and tools necessary to utilize municipal bonds and capital markets for infrastructure development financing. Shri Amarjeet Singh, Whole Time Member, SEBI, emphasized the potential of municipal bonds for transformative urban infrastructure projects and referenced SEBI's recent collaboration with the World Bank and NISM to launch an e-learning course on municipal bonds. The program included sessions designed to prepare ULBs for participation in the securities market, covering investor expectations, regulatory requirements, and issuance procedures. Shri Sanjay Dubey, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh, underscored the importance of financial management, revenue-generating projects, and staff training for ULBs seeking to raise funds through municipal bonds. He advocated for increased collaboration between regulators, municipal corporations, and stakeholders to promote the adoption of municipal bonds for sustainable urban development. The workshop was attended by senior officials from ULBs in Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, and Jabalpur. This outreach programme reflects SEBI's commitment to transparency, market readiness, and sustainable urban finance, with the goal of enabling ULBs nationwide to adopt best practices in infrastructure funding through capital markets.
Key Entities Referenced
Securities and Exchange Board of India: Regulatory body that organized the Municipal Bond Outreach Programme.
Municipal Bond Outreach Programme: Programme organized by SEBI to educate Urban Local Bodies on municipal bonds and capital market fundraising.
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: Location where the Municipal Bond Outreach Programme was held.
Urban Local Bodies: Target audience of the Municipal Bond Outreach Programme, aimed at empowering them with expertise on municipal bonds.
Shri Amarjeet Singh: Whole Time Member, SEBI, who delivered opening remarks at the event.
NISM: Collaborated with the World Bank to launch an e-learning course on Municipal Bonds.
World Bank: Collaborated with NISM to launch an e-learning course on Municipal Bonds.
Shri Sanjay Dubey: Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Urban Administration and Housing, Science and Technology Department, graced the event as Chief Guest.
PR No.59/2025
SEBI Hosts Municipal Bond Outreach Programme in Bhopal to Boost Urban
Infrastructure Financing
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) successfully organized a Municipal Bond
Outreach Programme in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on August 29, 2025, aimed at
empowering Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with expertise on municipal bonds and capital
market fundraising for infrastructure development.
The event opened with remarks from Shri Amarjeet Singh, Whole Time Member, SEBI,
who highlighted the transformative role of municipal bonds in financing scalable urban
infrastructure projects. He also mentioned about the recent steps taken by SEBI including
the recent launch of an e-learning course on Municipal Bonds by NISM in collaboration
with the World Bank. The programme featured dedicated sessions to prepare ULBs for
participation in the securities market, with expert insights on investor expectations,
regulatory requirements, and issuance procedures.
Shri Sanjay Dubey, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Urban
Administration and Housing, Science and Technology Department, graced the event as
Chief Guest. Shri Dubey highlighted the need for urban local bodies to focus on their
financials, come up with projects to enhance revenue and training of staff to raise funds
through municipal bonds. He called for enhanced collaboration among regulators,
Page 1 of 2municipal corporations, and all key stakeholders to accelerate the adoption and traction
of municipal bonds as a vital instrument for sustainable urban development.
The workshop was attended by senior officials from Urban Local Bodies of Bhopal, Indore,
Gwalior and Jabalpur.
This initiative reaffirms SEBI’s ongoing drive towards transparency, market readiness,
and sustainable urban finance, helping ULBs nationwide to adopt best practices for
infrastructure funding through capital markets.
Mumbai
September 03, 2025
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