Property details disclosed by Prime Minister Balendra Shah and his Cabinet members on Sunday evening have drawn widespread public concern and criticism.

Unlike their predecessors, Shah and his ministers unveiled their property details in less than a month after assuming office. However, the assets—including land, gold, cash reserves, investments in the share market, and vehicles—owned by the Cabinet members have sparked debate and controversy in both mainstream and social media.

Even as the Corruption Prevention Act makes it mandatory for public office holders to submit their property details within 60 days of assuming public office, it is not mandatory to make them public.

On Monday, a group of students staged a protest demanding that the sources of the publicly declared assets be disclosed and that an impartial investigation be conducted to ascertain how the ministers earned their wealth.

Many social media users have questioned how the prime minister and ministers acquired their properties, and urged them to disclose their sources of income and whether they have paid taxes.

Commenting on the disclosures, former finance minister Rameshore Khanal said that asset declarations are often less reliable. “In contrast, income statements submitted to the Inland Revenue Office and tax clearance records provide a more credible, transparent, and verifiable basis for assessing financial integrity,” he wrote on Facebook.

Besides huge cash reserves, the prime minister and his cabinet members own land and vehicles, and also hold huge amounts of gold. According to the property details, Prime Minister Shah owns 190 tola (1 tola is 11.66 grams) of gold, which he stated was received from his wife’s family in Morang as part of her ancestral inheritance.

Prime Minister Shah has only Rs14.6 million in cash. Additionally, there are 5 ana (1 ana equals 31.8 square metres) of land in ward 9 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City in the name of his mother, Dhruvadevi Shah; 1.2 bigha (a bigha 6,772.63 square metres) of land and a house in Dhanusha; and 9 bigha of land in Mahottari in the name of his late father, Ramnarayan Shah.

After questions were raised by the public about the movable and immovable properties owned by Home Minister Sudan Gurung, he defended his property details and stated that the wealth he earned before joining government was not a “sin.”

Gurung made the statement through his official Instagram account. Gurung said that being born poor is not an individual's fault, but dying poor is. “When you are born poor, that is not your fault; but if you die poor, that is your fault,” Gurung wrote on Instagram. “Earning wealth without corruption before joining the government is not a sin; earning through corruption after joining government is a sin.”

His statement was widely criticised by the people, including some Gen Z leaders. Raksha Bam has advised Home Minister Gurung to correct his statement, posted on social media. Bam said, “We are fed up with the tendency to blame the public—that’s exactly why you were given this opportunity.”

“If you argue today that dying poor is a mistake, how long before you begin to claim that being poor is itself a crime?” she said, urging the home minister to reconsider his remarks. “Branding those unable to improve their financial status as being at fault undermines the dignity of your office. You should correct yourself,” she said. “Dialogues from films are written for movies; in reality, life itself is a struggle.”

You cannot call someone’s way of life ‘wrong’ just because of their economic status, she added. After public criticism, Gurung deleted his Instagram status.

Defending the ministers, Rastriya Swatantra Party’s Deputy General Secretary Bipin Kumar Acharya said it is time to stop the hypocrisy in politics that considers only ‘torn slippers’ and an ‘empty pocket’ as symbols of honesty.

“Being rich is neither a sin nor a crime. The question is not how wealthy a person is, but whether that wealth has been earned through enterprise and hard work or through corruption, and how transparent one is with the state,” he said. “A nation cannot be built solely on narratives of scarcity and suffering. A strong and prosperous country is also shaped by those who innovate, generate wealth through legitimate means, and remain fully accountable.”

He added that it is time for Nepali society to embrace the culture of transparent prosperity.

Likewise, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said that the sources of assets declared by ministers are not unclear. Returning from a visit to Mauritius, Minister Khanal said at a press conference at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on Monday, “The sources of income are clear. If anyone wants to investigate, they can naturally do so.”

He added that ministers and members of parliament from his party, which was established four years ago, come from various professional backgrounds, so it is natural that they have earned income.

According to the disclosures, Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle owns property worth over Rs120 million. He has an apartment in Sanepa, Lalitpur valued at Rs20 million, a house in Bhainsepati worth Rs50 million, an apartment in Dhulikhel, Kavrepalanchok, worth Rs37.5 million, and land in Bandipur, Tanahun valued at Rs20 million. He also owns significant shares in multiple companies, including Sanima Middle Tamor Hydropower, Shangrila Development Bank, Upper Madi Hydropower, National Fund Management Limited, and Thulo Khola Hydropower.

According to asset declaration submitted by Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal, he owns land across Tanahun, East Nawalpur and Nepalgunj, along with a vehicle, 22 tola of gold, Rs1 million in cash, and shares in various companies.

Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha owns two houses in Kathmandu, gold and silver, nearly Rs7.9 million in cash, shares worth Rs14.5 million, and multiple vehicles, including a Toyota Land Cruiser and an electric car.

Home Minister Sudan Gurung owns shares worth over Rs43.1 million, 89 tola of gold, 6 kg of silver, over Rs6.1 million in cash, a vehicle, and land in Dhankuta. Additionally, land is registered in his father’s name in Chitwan and his grandfather’s name in Gorkha.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure, Transport and Urban Development Sunil Lamsal owns a house, and land in multiple locations, along with Rs9 million in cash, 30 tola of gold, and 50 tola of silver.

Law Minister Sobita Gautam has declared houses in Kathmandu and Chitwan under family members’ names, along with cash, gold, silver, diamond jewellery, vehicles, and stocks.

Women, Children and Social Welfare Minister Sita Badi has reported modest assets, including gold, silver, Rs1.5 million in cash, livestock, and electronic items.

General Administration and Land Management Minister Pratibha Rawal has declared landholdings, gold, bank savings of Rs2.47 million, and a vehicle, but no house in her name.

Health and Drinking Water Minister Nisha Mehta owns land in Kathmandu, gold, silver, diamonds, over Rs1.7 million in cash, and a car.

Education, Science and Technology Minister and government spokesperson Sasmit Pokharel has declared total assets worth Rs241.6 million, including properties in Kathmandu, Morang and Lalitpur under family members’ names, along with gold, silver, bank savings, a car, and liabilities.

Tourism Minister Khadkaraj Paudel has listed a house in Pokhara under a relative’s name, gold and silver, shares, vehicles, investments, and outstanding loans.

Communications Minister Bikram Timilsina has declared property in his wife’s name, along with jewellery, bank savings, a vehicle, and loans.

Agriculture and Environment Minister Gita Chaudhary owns land in Bardiya, jewellery, cash, and household assets, along with livestock received as gifts.

Industry Minister Gauri Kumari Chaudhary has declared extensive assets, including large quantities of gold and silver, a house, land in multiple locations, shares in her husband’s name, a vehicle, and bank savings.

Labour Minister Ramjee Yadav has reported a house and landholdings in Saptari, along with gold, silver, bank savings, and a motorcycle.