The average assets of three Union Ministers — DV Sadananda Gowda, P Radhakrishnan and Arun Jaitley — have shown an increase in the past five months, according to an analysis of their recent declarations made to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The declarations, analysed by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), show that the highest increase in assets was in the case of Railway Minister Gowda, which rose by ₹10.46 crore to ₹20.35 crore, from ₹9.88 crore declared in the Lok Sabha elections in May 2014.
Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Radhakrishnan’s average assets showed a rise of ₹2.98 crore, while those of Finance Minister Jaitley showed a rise of ₹1.01 crore.
However, 16 ministers have shown a decrease in assets in the past five months, said a release by ADR and National Election Watch. At ₹3.89 crore, Sushma Swaraj has shown the highest decrease in assets, from ₹17.55 crore at the time of the May polls to ₹13.65 crore in the disclosure to the PMO.
ADR said the cause of changes in assets was largely the lack of any standardised format for asset declarations. “Many ministers have not given the value of many assets declared,” it said.