Iran MPs to vote 4 ministries' nominees

02 August 2011 | 21:22 Code : 15076 Latest Headlines

PressTV--Iran's Majlis (parliament) will discuss votes of confidence to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's candidates for four newly established ministries.

In a letter to the Majlis on July 27, President Ahmadinejad introduced Mehdi Ghazanfari, Rostam Qasemi, Mohammad Abbasi and Abdolreza Sheikholeslami for the posts of ministers at the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, Ministry of Oil, Ministry of Sports and Youth and Ministry of Labor, Cooperatives and Social Welfare, respectively.

Iranian lawmakers will hold a session on Wednesday to debate plans proposed by the four nominees and their confidence votes.

On June 29, Iranian legislators approved the merger of ministries of Welfare and Social Security, Labor and Social Affairs as well as Cooperatives into the new Ministry of Labor, Cooperatives and Social Welfare.

The Majlis also passed a bill to merge the ministries of Industries and Mines and Commerce to establish the new Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade.

The announcement came after the Iranian chief executive declared the establishment of the new Ministry of Roads and Urban Development following the Majlis vote of confidence to Ali Nikzad, the candidate to run the ministry.

The merger of ministries came in line with the 53rd article of the Fifth Five-Year Development Plan (2010-2015) under which the government had to reduce its ministries from 21 to 17 to improve the efficiency of the country's administration.