Arun Jaitley Back As Finance Minister

Arun Jaitley resumed charge as the Finance Minister today after a gap of over a month. It was the second break he had to take within a year to undergo medical treatment. 

According to an official statement, the President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has directed to assign the portfolios of the Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs to Arun Jaitley. 

Mr. Jaitley tweeted: “Resumed work at the Ministry of Finance today (Friday). Thankful to Shri Piyush Goyal who discharged the responsibility at the MoF diligently & competently.” 

Mr. Jaitley has recently returned from the U.S. after undergoing medical treatment. He first attended the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting that PM Modi had called to discuss the terror attack in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district and then he came to North Block. 

As per sources, Mr. Jaitley underwent a surgery in the U.S. on January 22 for a reported soft tissue cancer in his left leg. He returned to India on February 9 after undergoing skin grafting. Though he is recovering well but needs a stick for support to stand or sit down and walks with a slight limp. 

Mr. Jaitley had left for the U.S. on January 13. In his absence, Railways and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal was given charge of the Finance Ministry on January 23.