Ahead of Budget, Piyush Goyal named interim Finance Minister

Piyush Goyal

Moneycontrol News
Piyush Goyal has been named the interim Finance Minister and interim Minister of Corporate Affairs during Arun Jaitley's indisposition.

Goyal will retain his existing portfolios of coal and railways.

Jaitley will be designated as a minister without a portfolio during his period of indisposition.

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).

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.

A latest PTI report suggested Jaitley has undergone surgery at a hospital in New York on January 22. He has been advised at least two weeks rest by the doctors, PTI said in the report quoting sources. Jaitley is believed to have undergone tests for soft tissue cancer this week.

There is no official word yet from the Finance Ministry on who will present the Budget. However, a PTI report late on January 23 said Goyal is likely to present the interim Budget.

Some media reports also quoted Finance Ministry Spokesperson DS Malik as saying that Goyal will announce the interim budget on February 1.

Presentation of the interim Budget is scheduled for February 1.