Assets of ministers, MLAs saw big increase in 5 years

Monday, 18 April 2011, 21:54 IST
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Kolkata: The assets declared by at least eight MLAs, including four ministers, during filing of their nominations for West Bengal Assembly election have represented an increase of Rs 20 lakh each since 2006 when the last polls were held, an election watchdog said. West Bengal Election Watch, an NGO, in a report said RSP candidate and minister for jail Biswanath Chowdhury has increased his assets by Rs 43 lakh in the last five years. According to the affidavit filed in 2006, Chowdhury, an MLA from Balurghat in South Dinajpur district, had a total value of Rs 14,17,328 which increased by a whooping 309 per cent to Rs 57,98,746. Civil defence minister Srikumar Banerjee's assets saw a healthy increase by 187 per cent at Rs 66,47,974 - up from Rs 23,12,837 in 2006. Similarly, environment minister Sailen Sarkar's assets increased by more than Rs 31 lakh.
Source: PTI