77 per cent of UPA ministers have grown richer since 2009

The assets of S Jagathrakshakan of DMK has gone up by over Rs 65 crore in just two years after he became the minister of state for information and broadcasting.

According to an analysis of the assets of union ministers by Association for Democratic Reforms, a non government organisation, Jagathrakshakan owned assets worth Rs 5 crore when he contested the 2009 election. He is now worth over Rs 70 crore.  Second in the line of richie rich ministers is Panabaka Lakshmi, minister of state for textile.

Within two years of landing a ministerial berth at the Centre, the Congress leader from Andhra Pradesh has acquired assets worth Rs 16 crore, up from Rs 1 crore in 2009.

Praful richest

Minister for heavy industries and public enterprises Praful Patel is the richest among the 77 ministers.       His assets have grown from Rs 79 crore to Rs 122 crore in two years.  Urban development minister Kamal Nath, who had assets worth Rs 14 crore in 2009, now owns wealth worth over Rs 41 crore.Minister for communication and information technology Milind Deora is not far behind. His assets, declared before the PMO, show an increase of 89 per cent, from Rs 17 crore to over Rs 33 crore.

Assets of minister for fertilisers and chemicals M K Alagiri swelled to over Rs 34 crore, an 80 per cent increase, from Rs 19 crore in 2009.

According to the ADR analysis, 15 ministers, including D Nepolean and Vincent Pala, have shown a decline in their asset worth since 2009.