JOIN USRajasthan figures among the poor states in the country, but its ministers are not so.
Almost all of its ministers are crorepatis.
An analysis of the assets of the Gehlot government’s 23 ministers, who made asset
declarations in 2012, shows that on an average each one of them has 10 immovable properties, at least one of which was acquired in the past four years.
And the highest increase in the number of properties from 2008 to 2012 has been recorded by minister for tribal area and rural development Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya.
From 15 immovable assets in 2008, he now has 25 properties, with all new assets being declared in the name of his spouse or dependents.
The National Election Watch (NEW ), which analysed the 23 ministers’ asset declarations from 2008 to 2012, found that the state lawmakers share 229 immovable properties among themselves.
The assets of four ministers — Bharat Singh, Brij Kishore Sharma, Mangilal Garasia and Rajendra Singh Gudha — whose declarations were unavailable, are not included in the analysis.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot has shown an increase of a single property — he now has eight.
Minister of state for health Rajkumar Sharma is the only among the Gehlot ministers who has consistently claimed in 2008 and 2012 that he owns no immovable assets.
Haryana pips Punjab
Punjab may be trying hard to bring fiscal discipline but when its fiscal health is compared with that of Haryana, the later is found to be performing better.
On the most of fiscal parameters, including revenue, fiscal deficit, tax mobilisation and debt, Haryana’s fiscal situation is better than that of Punjab, as per budget documents of both the states.