FM Arun Jaitley back home after medical treatment in US

NEW DELHI: Union Minister Arun Jaitley returned from the United States on Saturday, where he was undergoing medical treatment.

"Delighted to be back home," tweeted the Finance Minister.

Delighted to be back home. — Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) February 9, 2019

The 66-year-old had last month flown to New York for the treatment after being reportedly diagnosed with soft tissue cancer which required surgery, reported news agency PTI.

He missed presenting the sixth and final Budget of the Narendra Modi government before Lok Sabha election 2014. Railways Minister Piyush Goyal took charge of the ministry in his absence and presented the budget. 

As per a previous direction of the President of India, Goyal will continue to hold the portfolio of Finance on a temporary basis "during the period of indisposition of Arun Jaitley". There is no confirmation as now when will Jaitley resume work.

Jaitley, however, has been active on social media tweeting and writing Facebook posts and had also met reporters through a video call from New York and fielded questions on the Budget. 

This was his first overseas visit after he underwent renal transplant surgery on May 14, 2018, at AIIMS.

He had stopped attending office at the beginning of April last year due to his kidney ailment and was back in North Block - the seat of Finance Ministry - on August 23, 2018. Even then, Goyal had manned the ministry for about 100 days.

Jaitley in September 2014 underwent bariatric surgery to treat weight gain that he suffered because of a long-standing diabetic condition.

With agency inputs