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Dharmendra Pradhan’s Wealth Under Spotlight: Inside the Union Education Minister’s ₹6.92 Crore Net Worth, Properties and Assets
Amid growing protests over the alleged NEET paper leak and examination irregularities, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s declared assets, income, properties, investments and liabilities have drawn public attention.
As Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan faces mounting criticism over the alleged NEET paper leak and examination irregularities, attention has also shifted to his financial disclosures filed with the Election Commission of India.
According to his 2024 Lok Sabha election affidavit, Pradhan has declared total assets worth ₹6.92 crore, while his total liabilities stand at ₹2.30 crore.
Here’s a detailed look at the Union Minister’s declared income, investments, movable and immovable assets.
Annual Income
As per the election affidavit:
- Dharmendra Pradhan’s annual income (FY 2022–23): ₹12.75 lakh
- Spouse Mridula Thakur’s annual income (FY 2022–23): ₹49.92 lakh
The affidavit lists income from various legitimate sources disclosed as part of the nomination process.
Total Net Worth
The affidavit declares:
- Total Assets: ₹6.92 crore
- Total Liabilities: ₹2.30 crore
These figures include movable assets, immovable properties, investments and declared financial obligations.
Cash, Bank Deposits and Investments
The minister has declared:
- Cash in hand: ₹35,000
- Spouse’s cash: ₹40,000
- Children’s cash holdings: ₹10,000 and ₹7,000
The family’s total cash holding comes to ₹92,000.
Apart from cash, the family has approximately ₹2.47 crore invested through:
- Bank deposits
- Fixed Deposits (FDs)
- Public Provident Fund (PPF)
- Other financial instruments
Pradhan has also disclosed:
- Mutual Fund investments: ₹80.40 lakh
- Insurance policies: ₹67.72 lakh
Loans and Financial Advances
The affidavit states that Dharmendra Pradhan has outstanding bank loans worth approximately ₹31.38 lakh from Punjab National Bank and IDBI Bank.
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He has also disclosed personal advances and loans to family members, including:
- ₹10 lakh to Mridula Thakur
- ₹5 lakh to Dr Debendra Pradhan
- ₹5 lakh to Madhuri Thakur
- ₹2 lakh to Dr Manjuri Thakur
The total value of these personal loans amounts to ₹22 lakh.
Properties in Odisha, Ghaziabad and Bhubaneswar
According to the affidavit, the Union Minister owns:
- Agricultural land valued at ₹12 lakh in Odisha
- Non-agricultural land worth ₹20.50 lakh
He and his wife also jointly own residential properties worth around ₹1.98 crore, including:
- An apartment in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad
- A residential property in Bhubaneswar
Cars, Gold and Other Valuables
Pradhan has declared ownership of:
2011 Honda City
His wife has also declared ownership of multiple commercial vehicles.
The affidavit further mentions:
Dharmendra Pradhan
- 200 grams of gold
- 2.5 kilograms of silver
- Combined value: ₹13.5 lakh
Mridula Thakur
- 500 grams of gold
- 10 kilograms of silver
- Combined value: ₹35 lakh
Additionally, the minister has disclosed other household assets worth nearly ₹6 lakh, including:
- Computer equipment
- Household appliances
Financial Disclosure Amid Political Debate
The details of Dharmendra Pradhan’s assets have gained renewed attention as protests continue over the alleged NEET paper leak and examination-related issues.
The figures mentioned above are based on the minister’s official election affidavit submitted during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. These declarations are part of the mandatory disclosure process for election candidates and do not, by themselves, imply any wrongdoing.
