How can I earn Rs 30,000 monthly with an investment of Rs 40 lakh?

Can you suggest me some ways through which I can earn a minimum of Rs 30,000 per month (guaranteed on a regular basis) by investing around Rs 40 lakh?
--Kenis K Modi

Abhay Shah, a Certified Financial Planner, responds:


It is not possible to earn a guaranteed return of Rs 30,000 per month by investing Rs 40 lakh. Mutual funds do not guarantee any returns. They do not even guarantee the principal. Even if I consider that you have enough time for your investment, guarantee is something one cannot assure at all.

Considering your investment term, I believe you should invest in equity savings funds which invest money in all the segments: one-third of the amount in fixed income instruments, one-third of the amount in equity-related instruments and the rest in arbitrage funds. For taxation, it is treated as an equity fund.