Naveen Richest Among Odisha Ministers

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik continues to the richest among the Odisha ministers, said a release issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) here.

According to the release, the Chief Minister owns assets worth over Rs 64.26 crore of which the movable property is estimated at Rs 62,66,663.93 while the immovable property is valued at Rs 63,64,15,261.

The Chief Minister has a 1980-model Ambassador car valued at around Rs 8,905 and jewellery worth about Rs 2,12,252. Besides, he had deposits of over Rs 40 lakh in two branches of State Bank of India at Hiinjlicut of Ganjam district and Padampur in Bargarh district during the general and Assembly elections last year.

Apart from this, he has a farm land and building in an area of 22.7 acres at Tikri Khera village of Faridabad valued at Rs 10,75,51,071 as per the valuation done in March 2017.

The Chief Minister owns 50 per cent share of his ancestral property situated at APJ Abdul Kalam Road in New Delhi valued at Rs 43,36,18,000 and two-third share of Naveen Niwas worth over Rs 9.52 crore, as on August 18, 2017.

Though his income has considerably increased as compared to the last year, the Chief Minister has not been able to repay the loan of Rs 15 lakh that he had borrowed from his elder sister, Gita Mehta on March 9, 2015.

Panchayati Raj Minister Pratap Jena is the second richest minister whose assets have grown around Rs 4.5 crore in a year. Jena owns property worth Rs 10 crore. The joint property of Jena and his son was valued at Rs 5.38 crore in March 2018. However, the assets declared by him in March last year do not include his son’s share.

Properties of Health Minister Naba Kishore Das and his family members include cash worth Rs 32 lakh, Rs 1 crore worth of bank deposits and a fixed deposit of over Rs 2 crore. Besides, he is the only minister who owns two revolvers and a rifle.

Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Minister Arun Kumar Sahoo and his wife own assets worth Rs 67 lakh. The declaration given by Sahu reveals that his wife possesses more property than him.

On the other hand, Sports and IT Minister Tusharkanti Behera is the poorest among the ministers with property worth Rs 26 lakh, which include a 4,830 sq ft plot at Chandaka on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, a car worth Rs 5 lakh and 90 grams of gold, the release added.