Taipei (CNA), Thursday, May 5, 2005 – The Cabinet adopted Thursday proposals to upgrade both the Council of Agriculture (COA), and the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) to become independent ministries as part of a larger government reform program.
The plans will be sent to Congress for review. COA and EPA will be combined into the newly created “Ministry of Agriculture” and “Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.”
The government claimed that the restructuring would allow it to promote sustainable development and address climate problems.
The proposed Ministry of Agriculture will merge the COA’s Forestry Bureau and Veterans Affairs Council’s Forest Conservation and Management Administration into one agency that is responsible for Taiwan’s forestry and conservation.
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources will create three new agencies to address climate change, resource recovery, and environmental management.
Su Chun-jung stated that the new agencies will be responsible for implementing government plans and policies to combat climate change. ()A press conference was held Thursday by DGPA, the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration in Cabinet.
According to the Cabinet, the proposals are in line avec the 2011 amendments to Organizational Act of Executive Yuan.
These amendments aim to eventually have 37 ministries or government agencies currently under Cabinet merged or reconfigured into 29 ministries/agency.
Su stated that the Cabinet will continue to push for the reorganization and compliance with the law of Cabinet-affiliated agencies, while making adjustments based upon the nation’s developmental needs.
The Cabinet approved Thursday’s plans for restructuring agencies that fall under different ministries.
According to plans, a business development office will be established under Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Huang Chinghua, a senior official at DGPA, stated that the agency was formed in response to the growing need for government support to foster the development new types of businesses. ().
Huang also stated that the Industrial Development Bureau would be restructured into the “Industrial Development Agency”. He added that this change would allow it better plan for policy.
Similar to the Tourism Bureau, the “Tourism Agency”, and the Central Weather Bureau, she said.
(By Lai Yuchen and Teng Pui-ju
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