New Delhi: Over 35 per cent members of the new Odisha ministry, led by Naveen Patnaik, have serious criminal cases and more than 30 per cent face serious criminal cases against them, a report by the Association of Democratic Reform (ADR) said.
In a report that highlighted the criminal cases, financial, educational and other details of Odisha ministers, the ADR found the average assets of 21 ministers was `7.34 crore. Of the 21 ministers, 13 are crorepatis, while Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is the wealthiest with `63.87 crore assets.
In terms of education, four are Class XII pass and 17 are either graduates or post graduates. Padmanabha Behera is the only minister with below Class XII qualification. He studied up to Class VIII only.
There were only two women ministers like the previous Patnaik government, the ADR report said.