Piyush Goyal made interim Finance Minister as Arun Jaitley 'indisposed'; likely to present Budget 2019

Arun Jaitley will be designated as Minister without portfolio during the period of his indisposition or till such time he is able to resume his work as Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs.

NEW DELHI: Railway Minister Piyush Goyal was given additional charge of Finance Ministry & Corporate Affairs on Wednesday by President Ramnath Kovind. A statement issued by the President of India directed that during the period of indisposition of Arun Jaitley, Minister; the portfolios of Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs held by him, be temporarily assigned to Piyush Goyal, in addition to his existing portfolios. This will be the second stint of Goyal in both the ministries as he had headed the crucial portfolios for 100 days when Jaitley had undergone kidney transplant in May last year. Rashtrapati Bhavan in a statement also said: "as advised by the Prime Minister, Arun Jaitley will be designated as Minister without portfolio during the period of his indisposition or till such time he is able to resume his work as Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs." 66- year-old Jaitley who had a kidney transplant operation and follow-up check-ups at AIIMS last year, had left for the US for a "regular medical check-up". It is also reported that Jaitley has been the finance minister since Modi government came to power in May 2014, will not be presenting the last Budget of BJP government. The BJP-led NDA government will be presenting its last Budget on February 1. In 2014, Jaitley had undergone a bariatric surgery soon after the BJP government came to power at the Centre. The surgery, to treat weight gain that he suffered because of a long-standing diabetic condition, was first performed at Max Hospital, but he then had to be shifted to AIIMS because of complications.