Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is currently at the center of a national debate, facing calls for his resignation over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, including paper leaks. As nationwide protests, spearheaded by groups like the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and fueled by student anger and activist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike, intensify, public scrutiny has turned to the minister's financial standing.
Based on his official election affidavits filed for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a detailed picture of Pradhan's net worth, assets, and properties has emerged.
Dharmendra Pradhan's Financial Overview
As per his latest affidavit, Dharmendra Pradhan has declared total assets worth ₹6.92 crore. Alongside these assets, he also holds total liabilities amounting to ₹2.30 crore.
Annual Income
For the financial year 2022-23, Pradhan's personal annual income was declared at ₹12.75 lakh. His spouse reported a significantly higher annual income of ₹49.92 lakh for the same period.
Detailed Asset Breakdown
Cash and Bank Holdings
The minister's affidavit details cash in hand for his family: Pradhan holds approximately ₹35,000, while his spouse has ₹40,000. Their two children possess ₹10,000 and ₹7,000 respectively, bringing the total family cash on hand to ₹92,000.
Combined bank deposits, Public Provident Fund (PPF) accounts, fixed deposits, and other financial deposits for Pradhan and his family amount to around ₹2.47 crore.
Investments and Loans
Pradhan's investment portfolio includes mutual funds valued at ₹80.40 lakh and insurance policies worth ₹67.72 lakh as of 2024. He has also taken loans totaling ₹31.38 lakh from Punjab National Bank and IDBI Bank.
Additionally, Pradhan has extended personal advances and loans. He has given ₹10 lakh to his wife, Mridula Thakur, and ₹5 lakh to his father, Dr. Debendra Pradhan. Further personal loans include ₹5 lakh to Madhuri Thakur and ₹2 lakh to Dr. Manjuri Thakur, bringing his total personal loans to individuals to ₹22 lakh. These personal loans contribute to his total liabilities, which stand at ₹53.38 lakh.
Real Estate Portfolio
In terms of real estate, Pradhan has declared agricultural land in Odisha valued at ₹12 lakh and non-agricultural land in the same state worth ₹20.50 lakh. Together, he and his wife also own residential properties estimated at ₹1.98 crore. These include an apartment located in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, and another residential property in Bhubaneswar.
Vehicles and Valuables
The minister's declared possessions include a 2011 Honda City car, while his spouse owns multiple commercial vehicles. Pradhan has also declared 200 grams of gold and 2.5 kg of silver, with a combined value of ₹13.5 lakh as of 2024. His wife possesses a more substantial collection of valuables, including 500 grams of gold and 10 kg of silver, valued at ₹35 lakh.
Other assets declared by Pradhan total approximately ₹6 lakh, which includes a computer valued at ₹2 lakh and various household appliances worth ₹4 lakh.