Guwahati: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu is the fourth richest chief minister in India and the wealthiest in the Northeast, with declared assets worth Rs 332.56 crore, according to a report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
The report, based on self-sworn election affidavits of all 31 sitting chief ministers from 28 states and three Union Territories, places Khandu among only four billionaire chief ministers in the country.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio ranks fifth nationally with declared assets of Rs 46.95 crore, followed by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma with Rs 35.16 crore. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has declared assets worth Rs 14.06 crore, while Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has reported assets of Rs 13.90 crore.
Among the remaining northeastern chief ministers, Sikkim Chief Minister PS Tamang has declared assets worth Rs 6.69 crore, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma Rs 4.13 crore, and Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh Rs 2.38 crore.
The report also highlights liabilities declared by chief ministers. Khandu has reported liabilities of Rs 180.27 crore, the second highest in the country after Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. Himanta Biswa Sarma ranks third with liabilities of Rs 16.86 crore.
According to the ADR analysis, the average assets of India’s chief ministers stand at Rs 118.07 crore, with four chief ministers classified as billionaires. Collectively, the 31 chief ministers have declared assets worth Rs 3,660 crore, while the average self-declared annual income is Rs 6.54 crore.
The report also found that 14 of the 31 chief ministers (45%) have declared criminal cases against themselves, while 11 (35%) have disclosed serious criminal cases. It further noted that 97% of the country’s chief ministers are men, with only one woman currently serving as chief minister.