Union Minister Piyush Goyal temporarily assigned charges of Finance Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs in addition to existing portfolios.
Union Minister Arun Jaitley, 66, had left for the United States on January 13 for a “regular medical check-up”. There have been reports ever since that he may not return to present the interim Budget on February 1.
The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, directed that during the period of the indisposition of Shri Arun Jaitley, Minister; the portfolios of Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs held by him, be temporarily assigned to Shri Piyush Goyal, in addition to his existing portfolios.
Further, as advised by the Prime Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley is 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.
Goyal was earlier given additional charge of the Finance Ministry in May 2018 for a period of three months when Jaitley underwent a kidney transplant at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
