Crorepati mantris: Jaitley with Rs 114 crore is richest in Modi’s Cabinet

New Delhi, Oct 25: Union Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley is the richest Minister of the National Democratic Alliance Government with assets totalling to Rs 114.03 crore. According to an analysis by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) nearly 41 of 44 members in Modi's Cabinet team are crorepatis while in previous UPA Government's regime the number was 47 of the 79 ministers.

As per the analysis, Jaitley is the richest minister but it is Railways Minister DV Sadananda Gowda whose assets have shown an increase of Rs 10.46 crore since became the minister. His income has grown from Rs 9.88 crore to Rs 20.35 crore.

"His assets have shown an increase of Rs.10.46 crores, from Rs.9.88 crores as declared in Lok Sabha 2014 elections to Rs. 20.35 crores in the 2014 declarations of the Union Council of Ministers to the Prime Minister's Office," the statement said.

The analysis was done by comparing the declarations filed during the Lok Sabha polls and the data sent to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) recently. Of the 45 Ministers in Modi's Cabinet, 37 had contested the Lok Sabha polls 2014 and eight are members of the Rajya Sabha. It said 41 or 91 percent of the union ministers are crorepatis as per their declarations to the Prime Minister's Office.

Jaitley was the richest Minister followed by Harsimrat Kaur Badal at Rs. 108.31 crores and Piyush Goyal at Rs. 94.66 crores. The statement also said that 16 Ministers have shown a decrease in assets.

"External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj showed a decrease of Rs.3.89 crores (from Rs.17.55 crores declared in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections).

Sushma is followed by Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region VK Singh who declared a decrease of Rs.3.13 crores (from 4.11 crores declared in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections).

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan who declared a decrease of Rs. 1.28 crores," the analysis said.

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