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Source
East Mojo
https://eastmojo.com/national-news/2024/12/30/chief-ministers-in-india-earn-sev…
Author
Roopak Goswami
Date
City
Guwahati

Did you know that the average annual income of Chief Ministers is significantly higher than the national average income?

It’s true, according to a new report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW).

“Despite India’s per capita income of Rs. 1.85 lakh (2023-24), the average annual income of Chief Ministers is Rs. 13.64 lakh—7.3 times the national average,” the report reveals.

The report also highlights significant wealth disparities among India’s Chief Ministers, with Andhra Pradesh’s N. Chandrababu Naidu emerging as the wealthiest. Naidu, the leader of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), has declared assets worth a staggering Rs. 931 crore, making him the richest Chief Minister in the country.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ranks second with assets of Rs. 332 crore, followed by Karnataka’s Congress leader Siddaramaiah, who has declared assets of Rs. 51 crore.

The report, based on affidavits submitted to the Election Commission, found that the average assets of Chief Ministers across India stand at Rs. 52.59 crore. However, the disparities are striking. While 10% of Chief Ministers have declared assets exceeding Rs. 50 crore, 6% possess assets below Rs. 1 crore. Notably, Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, reported the lowest assets at just Rs. 15.38 lakh.

From the Northeast, the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, has declared assets worth Rs. 47.03 crore, followed by Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma with assets of Rs. 17.45 crore, and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma with assets of Rs. 14.06 crore.

Other Highlights

  • Billionaire Politicians: Two Chief Ministers, Naidu and Khandu, are billionaires, with combined assets exceeding Rs. 1,260 crore.
  • Liabilities: Pema Khandu leads in liabilities, owing Rs. 180 crore, followed by Karnataka’s Siddaramaiah with liabilities of Rs. 23 crore.

  • State-wise Trends: States such as Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Karnataka dominate the list of wealthy Chief Ministers, reflecting a concentration of wealth in select regions.

    The report sheds light on the growing wealth gap among India’s political leaders and raises questions about wealth distribution and governance in the country.


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