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Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday was given the additional charge of the Defence Ministry after Manohar Parrikar resigned to take on the new role of Goa Chief Minister.
A Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said that the resignation of Parrikar as the Defence Minister, on advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been accepted with immediate effect.
Further, as advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Arun Jaitely, Cabinet Minister, shall be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Defence, in addition to his existing portfolios.
Parrikar submitted his resignation after BJP staked claim to form an alliance government in Goa.
Manohar Parrikar will be taking oath as the Goa Chief Minister at 5 pm on 14 March, and will head the BJP-led ministry, which has the support of regional outfits and Independents.
This is the second time that Jaitley is holding the additional portfolio of Defence Ministry during the present NDA government.
He was in-charge of the ministry earlier from 26 May to 9 November in 2014.
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