"Income Tax Exemption for Gratuity under Section 10(10)(iii) of the Income Tax Act has been enhanced to Rs 20 lakh. Would benefit all PSU employees and other employees not covered by Payment of Gratuity Act," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in a tweet.

Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday said "compulsive contrarians discovered a new Balakote" which lies within Indian territory and without checking facts referred to it as the target of the Indian Air Force when it struck the Jaish-e-Mohammed terorist camp in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Paktunkhwa province.

Referring to the US operation in Abbotabad, Jaitley said, "Cannot we do it? This used to be only an imagination, a wish. There was frustration and disappointment. It is possible today."

Pulwama Terror Attack: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said that  India will act in a decisive against Pakistan because it was "not willing to give up its traditional role in our neighbourhood as a rogue state."

India will exercise all options, diplomatic or otherwise, to win a decisive battle against Pakistan which is responsible for Pulwama terror attack, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Friday.

As many as 40 personnel were killed on February 14, when a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a CRPF convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Pulwama.

As an interim dividend for 2018-19, based on the financial position of the central bank, the government expects Rs 28,000 crore from the RBI. In 2017-18, the RBI had paid an interim dividend of Rs 10,000 crore to the Centre.

Last financial year, the RBI had paid an interim dividend of Rs 10,000 crore to the Centre.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also said that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will take all the necessary steps to isolate Pakistan completely in the international community.

During Arun Jaitley's absence, the charge of the Finance Ministry and Corporate Affairs was given to Piyush Goyal on a temporary basis.

"The lies of 'Mahajhootbandhan' stand exposed by the CAG Report. How does democracy punish those who consistently lied to the nation?," questioned Arun Jaitley in a tweet.

The CAG report claimed that the deal negotiated by the NDA in 2016 was 2.86 per cent cheaper than what was negotiated by the UPA in 2007.

Stating that the contagion effect of falsehood is fairly large, Jaitley said the lies spread by the Congress have spread to other colleagues in the "Mahajhootbandhan".

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal had earlier said that Mehrishi was the finance secretary from October 24, 2014 to August 30, 2015 and in between Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Paris on April 10, 2015 and announced the signing of the Rafale deal.

The union minister also accused the Congress party of launching 'fake campaigns' against the defence forces, judiciary and Reserve Bank, and said it is time to protect the country as well as its institutions from 'institution wreckers'.

In a tweet, Goyal said: "Delighted to welcome back respected Shri @arunjaitley ji. Very grateful to him for his support, guidance and leadership."

Commenting on the incident Union Minister Arun Jaitley said that the episode "shocked" his "conscience".

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. He also gave interviews on the subject.  

In a blog, Jaitley hit out at Banerjee, dubbing her act as a "disproportionate over reaction" aimed at projecting herself as a "nucleus" of opposition parties.

Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday hinted that the Rs 500 a month cash dole to small farmers may be increased in the future as the government's resources grow and said states can top up this amount with their own income support schemes.