Folklore may ascribe immeasurable wealth to India's Cabinet Ministers, but going by what they have officially filed – and now made public -- many of them fall way short of the anticipated riches.
Nonetheless, it is a Cabinet predominantly of crorepatis. The first among equals, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is not the richest member of his Cabinet, but even he reports a total asset value of Rs. 4.30 crore.
Surprisingly, Finance Minister and the presumed number two, Pranab Mukherjee, is some distance away from Dr. Singh with his total assets valued at around Rs.1 crore. This is apart from the assets held by Mr. Mukherjee's wife estimated at just under Rs. 1.5 crore. With a total asset value of around Rs.1 crore, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna also falls behind the Prime Minister. Mr. Krishna's wife, Prema, owns assets worth another Rs.1 crore.
Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar's statement shows him in possession of assets worth Rs. 3.9 crore with his wife Pratibha holding assets worth another Rs. 2.16 crore. Union Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal holds assets worth around Rs. 14 crore while his wife owns property worth Rs. 7 crore.
Strikingly, many of the Ministers are poorer than their spouses, among them. Home Minister Chidambaram and Petroleum Minister Murli Deora. Mr. Chidambaram has movable (shares, bank deposits, cash, jewellery etc.) and immovable assets worth Rs. 5 crore while the assets of his wife, Nalini, add up to over Rs. 7 crore. At approximately Rs. 15 crore, Mr. Deora's assets are considerably lower than Hema Deora's pegged at around Rs. 31 crore.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath holds movable and immovable assets worth around Rs. 3 crore.
His wife Alka's assets are valued at Rs. 1.5 core. Mr. Kamal Nath and his family have business interest in at least 22 firms.
The total assets of Union Minister for Commerce and Industries Anand Sharma are valued at Rs. 2.5 crore. He has not reported the assets held by his wife. Union Minister for Chemical and Fertilizers M.K. Alagiri has movable and immovable assets worth about Rs. 9 crore.
This is apart from the holdings of his wife and son worth about Rs. 6 crore.
One of the richest members of the Council of Ministers, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel holds immovable assets worth nearly Rs. 35 crore.
This is besides assets totalling Rs. 40 crore in the name of his wife Varsha. Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia has assets estimated at over Rs. 30 crore which excludes inherited property worth crores from the royal Scindia family.
This exclusive club also has its poor members, among them Union Minister for Railways Mamata Banerjee (Rs. 6 lakh), Union Minister for Defence A.K. Antony (Rs. 1 lakh) and, surprisingly, Union Minister for Communications and IT A. Raja (Rs. 88 lakh).
The information was compiled from data obtained under the Right to Information Act by S.C. Agrawal and election affidavits filed by the Ministers.
That is the reason they are hesitating to give hard punishment to corrupt persons, they them selves will get the punishment. I am very sure if the list of corrupt polititions will ever made these minister will the first in the list. Throw them all out of our society.
I am astonished to see such small figures in federal cabinet. There are much less than the asset values of peons working with Andhra Pradesh's state ministers. Many of our ministers & family have 1000 of crores.
When a political party spends crores of rupees in the Election to come to the power,do they really do service to the nation,after getting the key position in the government? Not only they take back the amount they spent for the election,but also they will ensure that, they earn money for their generations and future elections....!
Hence only when a corruption free Political Party, which does not raise Party Fund through the Illegal and unwanted resources, rules the country, in that period everything will Change….! That time we can claim and be proud to say that WE ARE INDIANS…..!
When will we get the Right to RIGHT information?
Let's be crorepatis first before making comments on politicians. I think even our Media people are also crorepatis. I doubt about print but I am damn sure about electronic media.
Who said that India is a poor country?
Indication that why naxals have come in to existence. We need Lal Bahadur Shastri and Gulzari Lal Nandah like statesmen in the cabinet.
The figures indicate good income. What is the profession of the ministers' wives?
It shows the honesty of Indian parliamentarians, A good sign of 'uncorruption'
This is why Air India is suffering from heavy loss
Except Manmohan Singh, Pranab Mukherjee and P. Chidambaram I dont believe anyone else.
How these crorepatis can think of the poor ? How can they understand hunger and problems faced by ordinary citizens of India?
Please Email the Editor