Calcutta, July 24: Industries minister Nirupam Sen today took pot shots at the country’s super-rich while speaking at an MBA programme.

“Some of us are gifting aeroplanes to our wives or building 27-storey residences for ourselves at a cost of Rs 262 crore.... When 77 per cent of the population still lives on Rs 20 a day according to the Arjun Sengupta committee report, can a society sustain itself like this?” Sen asked the students of Eastern Institute of Management.

Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani, whose food retail chain Reliance Fresh has not taken off in the state because of opposition from Left Front partner Forward Bloc, gifted a luxury jet to wife Nita on her 44th birthday in November last year.

The $60-million flying machine comes with entertainment cabins, fancy showers, a master bedroom and bar.

Ambani is also building a $1-billion, 27-storey home in Mumbai.

Considered one of the world’s most expensive residences, it will have a helipad, a health club and six floors for parking space.

The last time Ambani met chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, he pledged Rs 4,000 crore in investment.