TEHRAN A member of Majlis (Parliament) Committee for Planning and Budgetary Affairs said on Tuesday that the committee has approved the outlines of two bills proposed by the government to merge four ministries.
Ahmad Nateq Nouri, however, predicted that the two bills would have difficulty being approved in open session of Majlis.
If approved, the Ministry of Construction Jihad would be merged with the Agriculture Ministry and the Ministry of Industries would be one with the mines and metals.
A supporter of the bill, Nateq Nouri said: "The more entities become integrated and parallel responsibilities cut, the greater will be the benefit to the government." He said: "Opposing MPs have argued that the government cannot afford the plan and that it should be delayed until the end of the Third Five-Year Economic Development Plan (March 2000-March 2005), but proponents insist the government is certain of its capacity to act on the plan." The mergers are seen as part of efforts by President Khatami to streamline the government and the bureaucracy which is hampering its efficiency.
Khatami last month appointed PTT minister mohammadreza Aref to head the newly created Management and Planning Organization which took over the functions of the defunct Plan and Budget Organization (PBO) and the Organization for Administrative and Employment Affairs.
The heads of the two above-mentioned dissolved organizations, Mohammad-Ali Najafi and Mohammad Baqerian, were later appointed as advisors to President Khatami.
(IRNA)