New Myanmar government to cut number of ministries

Nay Pyi Taw, March 5: The new Myanmar government, which is to take office at the end of this month, will cut the number of ministries leaving 23 from the previous 36, officials said on Saturday.

Merging some ministries to one for instance, the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party said it will not reduce the number of ministries' employees but will make use of them to reinforce other ministries in need, Xinhua news agency reported.

The party insisted that chief ministers of all 14 regions and states are to be assigned with elected NLD parliament representatives only.

Of the new government cabinet members, the NLD will take up 30 to 40 percent only and the rest will come from other parties and outside experts, the sources added.

Official handing over of duties of the head of state will be carried out at parliament.

Senior leadership of the NLD disclosed that the list of the new government cabinet will be announced on Sunday, four days before presidential election takes place on March 10.

Myanmar held a general election to elect parliament representatives on November 8, 2015, in which the NLD won the absolute majority of the parliamentary seats, which is strong enough for it to form a new government independently under the constitution and has the right to nominate the president and two vice presidents.

IANS