Jaitley, Harsimrat’s assets have grown: Watchdog
Monday, 27/10/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20141027/punjab.htm#19
New Delhi : Assets of at least three Union Ministers have increased since they assumed office five months ago, according to the National Election Watch and Association of Democratic Reforms.
It said Railway Minister DV Sadananda Gowda’’s assets had shown an increase of Rs.10.46 crore, from Rs 9.88 crore, as declared during the Lok Sabha elections, to Rs 20.35 crore as declared before the Prime Minister’’s office (PMO).
The assets of Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises has increased by Rs 2.98 crore and that of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley by Rs 1.01 crore.
The watchdog said 41 (91 per cent) Union Ministers were crorepati as per their declaration to the Prime Minister’’s Office. Jaitley was the richest (Rs 114.03 crore) followed by Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Rs 108.31 crore) and Piyush Goyal (Rs 94.66 crore).
The watchdog claimed 16 ministers had shown a decrease in assets. Among them were External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj (Rs 3.89 crore from Rs17.55 crore), Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region VK.Singh (Rs 3.13 crore from Rs 4.11 crore) and Health Minister Harshvardhan. The primary reason for the changes in assets was the lack of a standardised format for ministers'' declaration.
