Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), in collaboration with the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM), has launched an eLearning course on Municipal Bonds to promote urban infrastructure development. Unveiled at IIM Lucknow, the course is tailored for officials of Municipal Corporations and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), equipping them with skills to effectively utilize Municipal Bonds for financing projects. Key topics include alternative funding mechanisms, regulatory compliance, credit rating, green bonds, and investor outreach. The course features expert-led video lectures, interactive quizzes, and real-world case studies, spanning approximately 10 hours. It is free until March 31, 2025, with a nominal fee thereafter. Participants will receive certification upon completion. While primarily targeting ULB officials, the course is beneficial for state regulators, finance officials, and policymakers involved in urban development. Details and registration are accessible via the NISM website. SEBI previously launched a Municipal Bonds information database in January 2022.
Securities and Exchange Board of India
PR No. 04/2025
SEBI and NISM launch an eLearning course on Municipal Bonds
As part of its ongoing efforts to develop the capital markets, SEBI has been organising outreach programs on Municipal Bonds across various cities of India and undertaking various initiatives for encouraging issuance of Municipal Bonds to contribute towards urban infrastructure development and nation building.
Towards this objective, at a program organized recently at the IIM Lucknow campus, SEBI and NISM launched an eLearning course on Municipal Bonds, specifically designed to equip officials of Municipal Corporations and Urban Local Bodies, with the knowledge and the practical skills to leverage Municipal Bonds as a powerful tool for financing development projects. The course has been conceptualized and designed by SEBI in collaboration with National Institute of Securities Markets.
This eLearning course aims to familiarize the Municipalities and Urban Local Bodies about:
- the nuances of the alternative funding mechanisms,
- regulatory provisions for issuance and listing of municipal bonds and related compliances,
- roles and responsibilities of key market intermediaries,
- importance of project identification and investor outreach,
- escrow mechanism,
- credit rating,
- concepts of green municipal bonds and social impact bonds, among others.
It is a self-paced 10-hour (approx.) course which includes expert-led video lectures, interactive quizzes, and real-world case studies. The course is available for free till March 31, 2025, and thereafter at a nominal fee. Upon successful completion of the course, the participants will be awarded a certificate, validating their expertise in Municipal Bonds. The course proposes to foster financial innovation and capacity building in urban governance among the participants.
While the course is designed for the officials at Municipal Corporations and Urban Local Bodies, it will be equally beneficial for the state-level regulatory officials, finance department officials, policymakers and advisors engaged in urban infrastructure development and funding strategies.
Details pertaining to the course modules and registration procedure are provided on the NISM website and can be accessed by way of this Quick Response Code (QR Code):
Notably, in January 2022, SEBI had launched an information database and repository on Municipal Bonds. The same can be accessed by way of the QR code given below:
Mumbai
January 15, 2025
