Piyush Goyal made interim Finance Minister just before budget

January 23: Union Minister of Railways and Coal, Piyush Goyal was temporarily given the additional charge of the Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs. held by Arun Jaitley , days before the interim budget. During the period of Jaitley’s indisposition, Goyal will hold these portfolios in addition to his existing  portfolios. Meanwhile, it was learnt that Jaitley will be designated as Minister without portfolio until his indisposition.

The temporary allocation of the finance ministry to Piyush Goyal comes just a week before the presentation of an interim budget, the NDA government’s last before Lok Sabha elections expected to be announced a month later. There is no clarity immediately on which of the ministers will be presenting union budget scheduled for 1 February. This is the second time that Piyush Goyal will be the interim finance minister; the first was in May last year when Arun Jaitley underwent a kidney transplant. He resumed charge as finance minister several months later, in August.

Arun Jaitley, 66, is in the US for a medical check-up. The medical trip triggered questions whether he will be able to present the budget, especially when the national election is due in a few months. This budget will be the last before the Lok Sabha polls. The parliament will meet from January 31 to February 13 for the budget session.