Bihar ministers richer than Nitish Kumar

Patna  :  Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is poorer than his cabinet colleagues — as far as cash assets are concerned. According to details of movable and immovable assets declared by the chief minister and his cabinet ministers for 2012, Nitish Kumar has Rs.14,475 in cash.

This was less than the Rs.46,974 he had in 2011.

Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi has Rs.20,000 in cash and Tourism Minister Sunil Kumar Pintu Rs.8.74 lakh.

Cash with others vary: Public Relations Minister Brishen Patel (Rs.4 lakh), Industry Minister Renu Kumari (Rs.5,000), Food and Consumer Protection Minister Shyam Razak (Rs.80,000), Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav (Rs.60,000) and Rural Development Minister Nitish Mishra (Rs.96,992).

Nitish Kumar’s other assets remain more or less the same as declared last year: a house in Sansad Vihar in New Delhi valued at Rs.40 lakh, movable assets worth Rs.6.15 lakh, a 2003 model car, an old television, an old air-conditioner, a refrigerator, a cooler and cows.

The chief minister’s assets include a computer and a treadmill. He has also taken a loan from a bank.

Nitish Kumar has disclosed his only son Nishant’s assets, including agricultural land in Kalyanbigha village. But his son has more wealth.

This is the third occasion when details of assets of 29 Bihar ministers were uploaded on the government website. It was first done in 2011 and later in 2012.

Deputy Chief Minister Modi has movable and immovable assets worth over Rs.1 crore.

The richest minister former lawyer P.K. Shahi, who declared movable and immovable assets worth more than Rs.5 crore.