All sitting MLAs in Goa are crorepati, says ADR Report

Out of 40 sitting MLAs in poll bound Goa, all are crorepatis and have assets worth an average of Rs 11.75 crore per MLA, finds the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Goa Election Watch report.

In party wise analysis, all 27 MLAs from BJP, 5 MLAs from Congress, 3 MLAs from Goa Forward Party, and 1 MLA each from NCP and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak and 3 Independent MLAs have declared assets valued more than Rs 1 crore, said the ADR report.

As per the report, an average of assets per sitting MLA is Rs 11.75 crore in Goa. The report added further that the average assets per MLA for 27 BJP MLAs analysed is Rs 11.97 crore, for 5 Congress MLAs it is Rs 17.02 crore, for 3 Goa Forward Party MLAs it is Rs 8.55 crore, for 1 NCP MLA it is Rs 13.06 crore, for 1 Maharashtrawadi Gomantak MLA it is Rs 10.58 crore and for 3 Independent MLAs have average assets of Rs 4.14 crore.

Out of top three MLAs with highest assets, two belong to BJP and one from the Congress. BJP MLA from Calangute in North Goa, Michael Vincent Lobo is the richest MLA in the present Goa assembly, as per the report. He has declared property worth over Rs 54 crore which includes Rs 17,30,51,558 as movable property and Rs 37,29,30,000 as immovable property.

Congress MLA from Poriem in North Goa, Pratapsingh R. Rane has declared property worth over Rs 50 crore which includes Rs 5,14,15,805 as movable property and Rs 44,86,00,858 as immovable property.

BJP MLA Pandurang Arjun Madkaikar from Cumbarjua is the third in the list to have highest assets. He has declared property worth over Rs 32 crore that includes Rs 21,50,98,069 as movable property and Rs 10,67,56,780 as immovable property.

However, the Independent MLA from Priol constituency Govind Shepu Gaude has the lowest assets, as per the affidavit. He has declared total assets of Rs 1,21,85,811 which includes Rs 52,63,811 as movable assets and Rs 69,22,000 as immovable assets.

As per the ADR report, total 16 MLAs have declared liabilities of Rs 1 crore and above in their affidavits. Out of total 16 MLAs, BJP MLA from Valpoi Vishwajit Pratapsingh Rane has the highest liabilities of over Rs 11 crore. He is followed by Atanasio Monserrate, Panaji BJP MLA, who has over Rs 10 crore of liabilities.

The ADR report further finds that 48 per cent of total sitting MLAs have education qualification between class 8 and 12. Total 16 per cent MLAs have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above. Total 5 sitting MLAs are diploma holders in Goa.

In age wise distribution, total 18 MLAs or 45 per cent fall in the age group of 25 to 50 years, while 22 MLAs (55 per cent) are from 51 to 80 years of group. Out of total 40 MLAs, only 2 sitting MLAs are women, finds the ADR report.