AK antony is poorest of all the cabinet ministers
Manmohan Singh's crorepati Cabinet declares assets - Politics - Politics News - ibnlive
New Delhi: Still recovering from the after effects of Anna Hazare's campaign, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has taken a step forward towards transparency. The PMO website now contains details of the net financial worth of his entire cabinet.
According to the information put on the site, the Prime Minister has assets worth Rs 5.10 crore, including a Rs 90-lakh house in Chandigarh, a Rs 88-lakh flat in Delhi's Vasant Kunj and a 1996 Maruti 800 valued at Rs 24,000.
By contrast, Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath and his family are worth a whopping Rs 263 crore.
NCP strongman and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar may be heading the richest sports body in the world, but has declared his own wealth at just Rs 7 crore. While his party colleague, Praful Patel is personally worth Rs 34 crore.
HRD Minister Kapil Sibal may not be known as a rich man, but his asset base with his wife is a cushy Rs 36 crore.
Among the big three, Congress trouble shooter and the Prime Minister's right hand man, Pranab Mukharjee is worth a modest Rs 1.88 crore.
With a coffee estate in Coorg, Home minister P Chidamaram and his wife Nalini are both worth Rs 12 crore each. Chidambaram has listed all his assets on paper, including a bicycle worth Rs 1,200 and a cordless phone worth Rs 5,000.
The poorest of them all is Defence Minister AK Antony. He has assets worth a paltry Rs 1.80 lakh, which includes a second hand Wagon R. His wife has property worth Rs 30 lakh.
Petroleum Minister Murli Deora and his wife have combined assets worth Rs 15.2 crore. His wife runs two companies and a proprietorship firm.
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna has immovable assets worth Rs 2.34 lakh, movable assets worth Rs 4.81 lakh, investments worth Rs 3 lakh, and savings worth Rs 12 lakh. His wife's assets are estimated at Rs 21 lakh.
But despite two months and three reminders, not all ministers have declared their assets, like former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. Also, with the likes of A Raja in jail and Dayanidhi Maran out of the cabinet, would Kamal Nath or Praful Patel be amongst the richest? That's for the Enforcement Directorate to answer.