Arun Jaitley holds meeting on next budget amid rumours of ill health

Officials present at the meeting said Jaitley was in good health and looked fit to join the cabinet of the NDA government's second tenure

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley held a meeting on Friday with top bureaucrats of the finance ministry, asking them to expedite plans for the first Budget of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s second tenure, scotching rumours of his ill health. He also discussed the elements of the BJP’s 2019 election manifesto, in whose implementation the finance ministry is expected to play a critical role.

Jaitley took the meeting on the day when the Union Cabinet passed a resolution to dissolve the 16th Lok Sabha. The meeting, held at the finance minister’s residence, lasted about an hour.

Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, Revenue