Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to undergo a major surgery

New Delhi, Apr 05: The Union Finance minister Arun Jaitley is to undergo a major surgery for which he is likely to be hospitalized this weekend, people familiar with the development said.

Jaitley is a key member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet and has been driving economic reforms even in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)'s final year in office before the 2019 national election.

Jaitley's health problem is related to his renal functions, and may require a kidney transplant, said the people cited earlier, requesting anonymity. A finance ministry spokesperson could not immediately offer a response.

Jaitley, 65, presented the last full budget of the NDA government's current term in February, focusing on extending the social safety net to 500 million underprivileged through the National Health Protection Mission and providing for a special package for farmers. The budget also sought to address rural distress by increasing minimum support prices for crops.