Most ministers modest when it comes to automobiles

Sep 12, 2010 |

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Modesty of some Union ministers is at its best when it comes to choice of automobiles even though a couple of them own pricey Mercedes cars.

Sample this. Power minister, Mr Sunil Shinde, drives a 37-year old Fiat, minister of state for home, Mr Ajay Maken, has a Maruti Swift, while sports minister, Mr M.S. Gill, has a 25-year old Volkswagen Zetta. Commerce minister, Mr Kamal Nath, owns a good old Ambassador.

The Prime Minister's Office provided the details of assets and liabilities of Union Council of Ministers for the year 2008-09 on a Right to Information application filed by RTI activist, Mr Subhash Chandra Agrawal.

While most of them prefer smaller cheaper automobiles, civil aviation minister, Mr Praful Patel, who is among the richest, has not provided details of any vehicle in annual asset details provided for the year 2008-09.

Surprisingly, other ministers of the 'crorepati club' like Mr Sharad Pawar, Anand Sharma, A. Raja, Vilas Rao Deshmukh also do not have any automobile in their name. About 26 ministers in the Union Cabinet of 77 do not own a vehicle.

Just two ministers — the union minister of Communications and Information Technology, Mr Dayanidhi Maran and minister of State for Water Vincent H. Pala — own Mercedes cars.

While 42-year old Pala shows his sporty attitude in C-23 sports class, Mr Maran prefers a more executive-like E-class from the German car maker's stable.

Like Mr Shinde keeping his old Fiat car, many others in the Cabinet prefer to keep their old possessions. Minister of Rural Development, Mr C.P. Joshi has also kept his 15-year old Premier Padmini, minister of overseas Indians affairs, Mr Vyalar Ravi, has a 18-year old Fiat while minister of state for Coal, Shri Prakash Jaiswal, has a 14-year old Maruti Esteem.

He may not be driving it but a Royal Enfield Bullet is still part of Minister of Human Resources Development, Mr Kapil Sibal's stable of automobiles. He is the only minister in the Cabinet to have an eco-friendly electric car Reva among his six vehicles.

Minister of state for finance, Mr Namo Narain Meena, has only got a two-wheeler in his name, the declaration submitted by him for the year 2008-09, states. His senior in the ministry, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, has a Ford Ikon.

Minister of State for Commerce and Industries, Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia, has a Ford costing about Rs 10 lakh.

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