The plan also includes elevation of the State Environmental Protection Administration to the ministry of environmental protection and a new ministry for housing and urban, rural construction to replace the Ministry of Construction.

The State Food and Drug Administration will be put under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health, to clarify the health ministry's responsibility in ensuring food and drug safety.

The reshuffle involves 15 government departments and reduces the number of Cabinet ministries and commissions to 27 from the current 28.

(Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2008)