Arun Jaitley who was away in the US for medical treatment and had temporarily relinquished the Finance Minister’s position, has returned to India and is likely to resume charge on Friday, official government sources told Livemint.
In the interim, Jaitley had been declared a minister without portfolio and the ministry was being handled by Piyush Goyal.
Jaitley will be attending a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security on Friday to discuss the fallout of the ghastly terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir that has left at least 45 CRPF personnel dead and several wounded.
Jaitely tweeted that the terrorists would be given an unforgettable lesson.
Attack on CRPF in #Pulwama, J&K is a cowardice & condemnable act of terrorists. Nation salutes martyred soldiers and we all stand united with families of martyrs. We pray for speedy recovery of the injured. Terrorists will be given unforgettable lesson for their heinous act.
— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) February 14, 2019
He will also be addressing the board meeting of the RBI, which is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on February 18.
During Jaitley’s absence, Piyush Goyal held the portfolios of Finance and Corporate Affairs and had presented the Interim Budget on February 1.
Railway and Coal Minister Goyal was given the additional charge of the Finance Ministry on January 23 after Jaitley went to the US for medical treatment.
"The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, hereby directed that during the period of indisposition of Arun Jaitley, 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.
"Further, as advised by the Prime Minister, Arun Jaitley 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 Corporate Affairs," the official communique had said.