New Delhi, Feb 1 (IANS): "I am much better now. You won't have to wait very long," remarked Union Minister Arun Jaitley who is in New York convalescing after a surgery.
He was replying to a question from reporters through video conferencing when they greeted him and wished him a speedy recovery.
Asked when he would be back in Delhi, he said, "Hopefully soon".
Jaitley, who presented the last five Budgets of the Narendra Modi government, has been in the US for more than a fortnight for medical treatment.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, who presented the Interim Budget, had been given additional charge of Finance and Jaitley had been made Minister without portfolio.
Comment on this article
SmR, Karkala
Sun, Feb 03 2019In one fell swoop in London, Narendra Modi painted the entire medical community black.
India’s $3 bn medical tourism industry and $ 15 billion pharmaceutical exports may bear the brunt of the prime minister’s international pitch for Ayushman Bharat.
Yet, it happened when speaking in front of a London audience but addressing in effect a global audience, Modi spoke in “Bharat ki Baat – Sabke Saath”, about how doctors write medicines in return for pharmaceutical company sponsored junkets to Dubai and Singapore.
Replying to an audience question in London Modi, while talking about Ayushman Bharat said: “It will lead to more than 1000 hospitals in tier I and tier II cities but about drugs…doctors get money to prescribe them, there are these conferences that happen in Dubai and Singapore… no ailing person goes there. It is essential for pharma companies, so they do it. We have started generic drugs at a fraction of the cost through Jan Ausadhalays.”
To paint the entire industry in one brush of dishonesty does not make either political or business sense. It is nobody’s case that the pharma-doctor axis does not exist.
If having two ministers who support rapists and killers of an 8-year-old girl – does not make either the PDP-BJP government of J&K or the BJP government at the Centre complicit in the heinous Kathua crime, why is it that the entire community of medical professional deserves to be abused on an international platform because of a few rotten apples?
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who is getting treatment for tissue cancer in USA for his own 'Ayush' to extend, wants poor Indiana to rely on 'Yoga' slipping Baba Ramdev natural medicines.
India’s 2019-2020 Defence Budget is Nearly Five Times the Health Budget. National Health Mission suffers and Modi's ministers best medical treatment of 'Made in USA'.
Jai Hind
Reply Report Abuse
G R PRABHUJI, Mangalore
Sat, Feb 02 2019My opinion is it's better to stay and get fully cured. I feel petty, when I see Parrikar. Now Modiji has kept him in AIIMS because after Rahul's meet, they are very much afraid that opposition leaders may meet him in Goa. And talking about Raffle. So kept Parrikar in Hospital, Jaittly in America and next Nirmal Seetaraman only knew about full fact of Raffle.
Reply Report Abuse
ravi, Mlore/USA
Sat, Feb 02 2019On one hand the govt. is promoting Medical Tourism to India. On the other hand all politicians are travelling abroad for treatment. What does this say?
Reply Report Abuse
Hilary Dsa, Mangalore
Sat, Feb 02 2019India doesnor have even a single VIP treating Hospital?.
You find best of doctors from India around the world.
Our politicians donot have faith in our doctors /hospitals and preach Patriotism.
Reply Report Abuse
Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai
Sat, Feb 02 2019Learn Finance & Economics before coming ...
Reply Report Abuse
Harish Hegde, Mangalore/Aramco
Sat, Feb 02 2019Off course he will be back now because budget presentation is over.
Reply Report Abuse
Sahil, Mangaluru
Sat, Feb 02 2019Piyush was leading and presenting the budget much better. Jaitley got feared.
Reply Report Abuse
Pradeep Shetty, Mangalore
Fri, Feb 01 2019For what? Better let him stay there.
Reply Report Abuse
HENRY MISQUITH, Bahrain
Fri, Feb 01 2019India's first useless F.M.
Reply Report Abuse