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Modi's cash in hand is Rs 4,700 only

The PM perhaps has the minimum amount of cash in hand among all his Cabinet colleagues for whom data can be accessed at this point

Narendra Modi

PM Narendra Modi is expected to unveil his strategy for science and technology development for the decade ahead and also outline steps to increase spending on science to 2% of the GDP at the Indian Science Congress, which gets under way in Mysuru

Nivedita Mookerji New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's declared assets have gone up by around Rs 15 lakh in the financial year 2014-15 to Rs 1.41 crore, from Rs 1.26 crore in the previous year. This includes a Gandhinagar property currently valued at Rs 1 crore. The slight increase in Modi's assets is primarily from the bank deposits, according to information made available by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

The PM perhaps has the minimum amount of cash in hand among all his Cabinet colleagues for whom data can be accessed at this point. Modi had only Rs 4,700 cash in hand as of March 31, 2015. In the corresponding period last year, he had Rs 38,700. The PM continues to not own any car, aircraft or yacht. The value of his four gold rings weighing 45 grams is down by a notch to Rs 1.18 lakh, from Rs 1.20 lakh in FY 2014. Financial details of the PM's wife Jashodaben are listed as "not known".

The PM's bank deposits including fixed deposits are worth over Rs 31 lakh. In addition, he has an LIC policy and a National Savings Certificate, totalling about Rs 7.5 lakh. Neither has he given out any loan or advance to anybody, nor has he taken any.

Modi's cash in hand is Rs 4,700 only
  Among the prominent members of his cabinet, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj's declared financial assets have risen to around Rs 4.54 crore in 2014-15, up from Rs 2.73 crore in the previous year. Swaraj has Rs 1.05 lakh in cash.

The total financial assets of her husband Swaraj Kaushal are shown much higher at around Rs 15.95 crore.

Telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was the fourth highest in the list of ministers' assets in 2014 at Rs 14.91 crore, has declared assets over Rs 20 crore in FY15. Prasad's cash in hand was Rs 60,468.

Urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu, who was listed one of the five non-crore-pati ministers in FY14, is yet to reach the Rs 1 crore mark. His total declared assets came to around Rs 29.23 lakh, marginally up from Rs 20.45 lakh in the previous year. His cash in hand was Rs 38,000. However, declarations for Naidu's wife show that she owns assets worth more than Rs 10 crore.

Law minister Sadanand Gowda's assets have dipped from Rs 4.34 crore in FY14 to a little over Rs 2 crore in FY15 if the liabilities and loans are taken into account. Besides other things, Gowda has listed a gun worth Rs 8,500 and a revolver worth Rs 55,000 in his declarations. HRD minister Smriti Irani has declared total personal assets of Rs 4.27 crore including a flat valued at Rs 2.78 crore. She owns a Honda Brio and a Maruti Ertigo. Her previous year's declarations could not be compared immediately. She has cash of around Rs 10.5 lakh.

Information related to the richest minister Arun Jaitley, whose financial assets were valued at Rs 72.10 crore in FY14, have not been shared yet for FY15. Others such as home minister Rajnath Singh, power minister Piyush Goyal, road and highways minister Nitin Gadkari are also among those for whom FY15 assets declaration could not be accessed.

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First Published: Jan 30 2016 | 10:44 PM IST

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