Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur and many of his ministerial colleagues have been richer in the last five years if one goes by the details in their affidavits submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI). Power Minister Sukh Ram Chaudhary and Education Minister Govind Singh are the only exceptions.

Industries Minister Bikram Singh has become richer by 225.01 per cent in the last five years, the highest among all ministers. Jaswan Pragpur, MLA, has declared assets of Rs 2.42 crore as compared to Rs 74.33 lakh in 2017.

Advertisement

Bikram Singh, who was also holding charge of Transport, Labour, and Employment Ministries, was recently in the news after a video went viral seeking blessings from Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. The value of Singh’s movable assets has risen from Rs 35.34 lakh to Rs 81.61 lakh.

The worth of his immovable properties has risen from Rs 39 lakh to Rs 1.6 crore. The movable assets include cash, jewellery, cars, investments, etc, while immovable ones include land, commercial property and residential buildings.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Rajiv Saizal has posted a rise of 121.68 per cent in his assets’ value. In 2022, Kasauli MLA has declared movable and immovable properties of Rs 1.71 crore as against Rs 77.10 lakh in 2017.

Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj has declared movable and immovable properties worth Rs 1.85 crore this time as compared to Rs 93.53 lakh in 2017. Bhardwaj is contesting the ensuing assembly poll from Kasumpti this time instead of Shimla.

So far as Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur is concerned, the value of his assets has risen by 91.61 per cent. This time, the Seraj MLA has declared assets of Rs 6.28 crore against Rs 3.28 crore in 2017. The value of his movable assets has risen from Rs 1.89 crore to Rs 3.96 crore, and that of immovable ones from Rs 1.39 crore to Rs 2.32 crore in the last five years.

Forest Minister Rakesh Pathania has declared assets of Rs 6.55 crore in 2022, which is the highest among all the ministers who are contesting again. He has become richer by 89.13 per cent in the last five years as he had assets of just Rs 3.47 crore in 2017. He is trying his luck from Fatehpur this time.

There is a 58.76 per cent growth in the assets of Technical Education Minister Ram Lal Markanda. In 2017, the Lahaul and Spiti MLA had declared assets of Rs 87.74 lakh while in 2022 he had assets of Rs 1.39 crore.

Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Minister Rajinder Garg has become richer by 43.43 per cent, as he has declared assets of Rs 3.87 crore in 2022 while in 2017 he had Rs 2.70 crore.

The value of assets of Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Sarveen Chaudhary has risen by 38.59 per cent. In 2022, the Shahpur MLA had declared assets of Rs 5.81 crore as compared to Rs 4.19 crore in 2017.

The least rise in the value of assets is of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Virender Kanwar. In 2017, the Kutlehar MLA was having Rs 3.38 crore as assets which rose by 9.12 per cent to Rs 3.69 crore in 2022.

Education Minister Govind Singh has become poorer by 17.04 per cent. The Manali MLA was having assets worth Rs 6.82 crore in 2017 which fell to Rs 5.66 crore in 2022.

Similarly, Power Minister Sukh Ram Chaudhary’s assets have dwindled by 4 per cent. In 2017, the Paonta Sahib MLA was having Rs 2.37 crore while in 2022 he had declared assets of Rs 2.28 crore.