Patna: Dozens of ministers in the ruling National Democratic Alliance government in Bihar headed by chief minister Nitish Kumar are poorer than their wives, according to details of their assets made public by them.
According to their declarations on Monday, a number of ministers in the Nitish Kumar cabinet are poorer than their better halves in hard cash and valuables.
Yet not all of them are poor. At least 11 ministers out of the total 30 own more than Rs10 million (Dh690,010), known in local parlance as "Crorepati ministers". Education Minister Prashant Kumar Shahi is the richest in the NDA government having assets worth more than Rs60 million.
Classic exception
A classic exception to all is Nitish Kumar, who is not only poorer than most of his ministerial colleagues but also his lone dependent son Nishant Kumar.
As per his declaration, the Bihar chief minister has around Rs47,000 cash in hand and cash deposits of about Rs30,000 in three bank accounts whereas his dependant son has Rs4.6 million cash in his bank accounts. Similarly, the chief minister claims to have movable assets worth Rs615,000 whereas his unemployed son's movable assets top Rs7.3 million, about 12 times more than his chief minister father considered one of the most powerful politicians in India and a strong claimant for the top job.
Again, Kumar has gold jewellery worth onlny Rs52,000 while his son owns ornaments worth Rs1.18 million.
The Bihar chief minister and his ministerial colleagues declared their assets on Monday night for the second consecutive time in two years under the NDA government's move to maintain transparency.
According to their declarations on Monday, a number of ministers in the Nitish Kumar cabinet are poorer than their better halves in hard cash and valuables.
Yet not all of them are poor. At least 11 ministers out of the total 30 own more than Rs10 million (Dh690,010), known in local parlance as "Crorepati ministers". Education Minister Prashant Kumar Shahi is the richest in the NDA government having assets worth more than Rs60 million.
Classic exception
A classic exception to all is Nitish Kumar, who is not only poorer than most of his ministerial colleagues but also his lone dependent son Nishant Kumar.
As per his declaration, the Bihar chief minister has around Rs47,000 cash in hand and cash deposits of about Rs30,000 in three bank accounts whereas his dependant son has Rs4.6 million cash in his bank accounts. Similarly, the chief minister claims to have movable assets worth Rs615,000 whereas his unemployed son's movable assets top Rs7.3 million, about 12 times more than his chief minister father considered one of the most powerful politicians in India and a strong claimant for the top job.
Again, Kumar has gold jewellery worth onlny Rs52,000 while his son owns ornaments worth Rs1.18 million.
The Bihar chief minister and his ministerial colleagues declared their assets on Monday night for the second consecutive time in two years under the NDA government's move to maintain transparency.
