From Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani to Jyotiraditya Scindia: Meet richest ministers in Modi 3.0 Cabinet

The Narendra Modi-led NDA government assumed office on June 9 after securing 293 seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. Modi was sworn in as Prime Minister for a third consecutive term, leading a coalition government that includes TDP, JDU and other allies. The Union Cabinet comprises 71 ministers, including 31 Cabinet Ministers, 35 Ministers of State, and 5 Ministers of State with Independent Charge.

Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani

Among these ministers, Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, who is the new Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Communications, has attracted attention as one of the wealthiest in the Modi 3.0 Cabinet, with total assets exceeding Rs 5705 crore. Pemmasani, who represents the Guntur constituency, defeated his closest rival, the YSRCP’s Kilari Venkata Rosalah.

Jyotiraditya Scindia

Jyotiraditya Scindia, a member of the Gwalior royal family, holds assets worth over Rs 425 crore, making him the second wealthiest minister in the Modi 3.0 Cabinet. Scindia switched from Congress to the BJP in 2020, was elected to the Rajya Sabha, and served as the Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel in 2021. After winning the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Guna constituency in Madhya Pradesh, Scindia has been appointed the Minister of Communications and the Minister of Development of the North Eastern Region.

HD Kumaraswamy

HD Kumaraswamy, the former Chief Minister of Karnataka, declared assets worth Rs 217 crore in his election affidavit. Kumaraswamy won from the Channapatna constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He has been appointed the Minister of Steel and Minister of Heavy Industries, marking his first term in the Union Cabinet.

Ashwini Vaishnaw

Ashwini Vaishnaw, with assets totaling Rs 144 crore, has been a Rajya Sabha member from Odisha representing the Bharatiya Janata Party since 2019. Continuing his 2019 cabinet role as Minister of Railways, Vaishnaw will now also oversee the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in Modi’s 3.0 Union Cabinet.

Rao Inderjit Singh

Rao Inderjit Singh, a veteran politician, has been elected from Gurgaon and has assets amounting to Rs 121 crore. He has consistently won the Gurgaon constituency over the last three elections and held various important portfolios. He will serve as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Planning and Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, as well as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture.

Piyush Goyal

Piyush Goyal, with assets worth over Rs 110 crore, won the Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency in the recent elections. He has been appointed the Minister of Commerce and Industry in the newly formed Union Cabinet.

Amit Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah has assets worth Rs 65 crore. Elected from the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in 2024, he has retained his position as the Minister of Home Affairs from the 2019 cabinet. In the Modi 3.0 Cabinet, Shah will also be responsible for overseeing the Ministry of Cooperation.