Nitish declares assets less than half a crore

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has declared assets worth less than half a crore but several of his ministerial colleagues are 'crorepatis'.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has declared assets worth less than half a crore but several of his ministerial colleagues are 'crorepatis'.

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Details of the moveable and immoveable assets of 30 Bihar ministers, including that of Kumar, were uploaded in the government website in a step aimed at ending corruption and promised by the chief minister himself.

Kumar, who recently led his JD(U)-BJP combine to a landslide victory to retain power, has declared assets worth Rs 40.37 lakh. He also has a loan of a little less than two lakh to repay.

Some ministers have also declared revolvers as assets.

The richest member in Bihar ministry is Human Resources Department Minister Prashant Kumar Shahi, a lawyer-turned advocate general-turned minister, who has declared moveable and immoveable properties worth around Rs 4.5 crore.

State Labour Resources Minister Janardan Singh Sigriwal with a net worth of Rs 16.77 lakh is the poorest minister, according to details of the assets.

Nitish Kumar's moveable assets include Rs 31,760 in cash, Rs 57,770 in bank account, a Santro car of 2003 model, an old TV set, an old airconditioner, a fridge, a cooler and cows worth Rs 1.67 lakh.

All the ministers had submitted details of their assets to Kumar on December 31 following his directive. He had made it mandatory for his ministerial colleagues to declare their assets every year.

Circulars have also been issued making it mandatory for public servants from Grade I to Grade III to declare their assets every year.

Kumar's son Nishant owns Rs 1,769 in cash, a bank deposit of around Rs 41 lakh, Rs 13.93 lakh in post office schemes, jewellery worth Rs 9.20 lakh and agricultural land worth Rs 31.34 lakh at Kalyanbigha, besides a building in Kankerbagh in Patna. He is also the owner of a residential/commercial building at Kalyanbigha worth Rs 1.31 lakh and in Bakhtiyarpur worth Rs 8.27 lakh.

Among the 'crorepati' ministers are the Minor Irrigation and Sugarcane Minister Awadhesh Prasad Kushwaha whose net worth is Rs 2.59 crore, Health Minister Ashwini Kumar Chaubey--1.18 Crore AND urban development and Housing Minister Prem Kumar worth Rs 1.12 crore

Other ministers whose assets are over Rs one crore are Building Construction minister Damodar Raut (Rs 1.03 crore), Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh (Rs 2.07 crore), Revenue and Land Reforms Minister Ramai Ram (Rs 1.08 crore), PHED Minister Chandra Mohan Rai (Rs 1.20 crore) and Mines and Geology Minister Satya Deo Narain Arya (Rs 1.35 crore).