China to set up five new "super ministries"

http://english.cpc.people.com.cn/66102/6370841.html

China will set up five new "super ministries" in the current round of government institutional restructuring, and a plan for the reshuffle will be submitted to the National People's Congress (NPC), or parliament, for deliberation on Tuesday afternoon.

According to the plan, which was distributed to journalists before the parliament meeting, the five new "super ministries" are the ministry of industry and information, the ministry of human resources and social security, the ministry of environmental protection, the ministry of housing and urban-rural construction, and the ministry of transport.

State Councilor Hua Jianmin, also secretary general of the Cabinet, will make explanations of the plan to the NPC, China's top legislature.

Hua lists the reasons for the government reshuffle as follows:

-- The functions of government have not been completely transformed, and the intervention in micro economy is still more than needed. Public administration and public services are still weak.

-- Structure of government institutions is not rational enough. The problems including overlapping responsibilities, powers and responsibilities being not well matched and low efficiency are quite serious.

-- Powers in some regards were too concentrated and lack due oversight and checks. The phenomena of misuse of authority, abusing power for personal gains and corruption still exist.

Source: Xinhua