Odisha CM Naveen’s assets increase by Rs 42.90 lakh

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held properties worth Rs 65.40 crore as of December 2022, which is Rs 42.90 lakh more than his assets possessed by December 31, 2021.

The Chief Minister along with his council of ministers has submitted their movable and immovable property details for the financial year 2021-22, which was uploaded on the CMO website.

Patnaik’s assets increased to Rs 65.40 crore as of December 2022 from Rs 64.97 crore as of December 2021. Sources said the property increased as Patnaik has earned interest on his fixed deposits and other savings.

As per his property statements, the movable properties have been increased in the year 2022 while the immovable property remained the same.

The website, which was updated with the latest information about assets and liabilities of the Chief Minister and ministers, showed that Patnaik owned movable property worth Rs 12.52 crore, which included bank accounts in New Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Hinjilicut, and Bargarh, along with jewellery and a four-wheeler.

Out of the movable properties, Patnaik has fixed deposits worth Rs 1 crore in HDFC, RBI bonds of Rs 9 crore, Rs 1.50 crore post office. The Chief Minister has deposits of Rs 70.11 lakh in a bank at Janpath, New Delhi, and Rs 20.87 lakh in the State Bank of India at Bhubaneswar. The gold jewellery was valued at Rs 3.49 lakh and the old Ambassador car of the 1980 model at Rs 6,434.

The five-time Chief Minister held immovable properties worth Rs 52.88 crore, all of which were inherited from parents Biju and Gyan Patnaik, according to the Chief Minister’s property statement.

His immovable assets included his two-third share in Naveen Niwas, near Bhubaneswar airport, worth Rs 9.52 crore, and 50 per cent share in the property at 3, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road, New Delhi worth Rs 43.36 crore.

At least 14 of his ministers have declared that they are crorepati. As on December 31, 2022, state Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari has total properties worth Rs 2.89 crore while his wife Binapani was holding assets worth Rs 1.77 crore.

Pujari possessed nine landed properties worth Rs 1.41 crore, bank balance of Rs 76.60 lakh, Rs 20.79 lakh investments in LIC insurance policies, three vehicles worth Rs 9.27 lakh, jewellery worth Rs 31.21 lakh, and Rs 4.73 lakh cash in hand.

Similarly, Rural Development Minister Pritiranjan Ghadai, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Rita Sahu, Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Kumar Mallik mentioned that they don’t possess any four-wheelers.

(IANS)