TEHRAN (FNA) - The Iranian parliament's Industries and Mines Committee on Monday approved a plan to merge a number of ministries, a lawmaker said on Monday.

""The industries and mines commission agreed on and approved a merger of the Industries and Mines Ministry and the Commerce Ministry, Handicrafts Industries and Rural industries to form a new ministry titled as the Ministry of Industries and Trade,"" Spokesman of the commission Ali Asqar Yousefnejad told FNA.
Handicrafts and Rural Industries are now operating within the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (CHHTO) headed by a vice-president.
Yousefnejad also announced that the commission approved a merger between the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and Ministry of Roads and Transportation to form a new ministry titled as the Ministry of Transportation and Communication.
Elsewhere, the lawmaker said that a plan to increase efficiency of Iranian administrative offices had also been discussed during the commission session.
Yousefnejad added that the commission approved two items of the same plan which had already been discussed at an open session of the parliament.