OPS declares he is now a crorepati

CHENNAI: State finance minister O Panneerselvam has now declared that he is a crorepati. OPS who declared 36 lakh as assets ahead of the 2011 election has now declared in his affidavit that he and his wife have total assets to the extent of 1.53 crore. The minister who has been interim chief minister twice has also reduced his liabilities in the last five years. While in 2011, the finance minister’s family had liabilities to the extent of nearly 69 lakh they have only 25 lakh as liabilities this year.

The minister and his wife have purchased a new Toyota Innova car worth 17.85 lakh in 2013. Thus the couple’s movable assets increased from 26.12 lakh in 2011 to 55.65 lakh in the latest affidavit. Similarly, due to increase in the land value in Theni district where the couple have property, the immovable assets increased from 32 lakh to 98 lakh. The minister does not have any case pending against him. The minister has declared 5.80 lakh as annual income and wife has an income (including agriculture) of 46.33 lakh.

State agriculture minister R Vaithilingam, who filed his nomination from Orthanadu in Thanjavur district, has assets including that of his wife to the extent of 2.30 crore. This includes movable assets worth 38.45 lakh and immovable assets worth 1.91 crore. The couple have liabilities of 78.26 lakh.

State welfare minister B Valarmathi, the AIADMK candidate from Thousand Lights, has declared total assets, including that of her spouse, as 8.92 crore. Like Panneerselvam, Valarmathi too has acquired an Innova worth 13.89 lakh in 2012. The couple had assets worth 3.35 crore in 2011. Apart from increase in property value, the couple’s bank deposits have also increased in the last five years.

Textile minister Gokula Indira, candidate from Anna Nagar, has declared assets including that of her husband as 8.25 crore against 1.04 crore declared in 2011. The vehicles the couple own have increased from a value of 26.40 lakh in 2011 to 2.04 crore in 2016. Many trucks and other vehicles have been acquired since 2011, says the latest affidavit.