Vice Premier Eric Liluan Chu said Thursday that government restructuring is crucial to the nation's development and he urged full preparations so that the program can be put into place Jan. 1, 2012 as scheduled. For the program to be put into effect by that time, legislation regarding the organic laws regarding various Cabinet agencies will have to clear the legislature this year, while staff and budget allocations will have to be completed next year, Chu said. The vice premier made the remarks while addressing a meeting on government streamlining sponsored by the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission for the deputy heads of Cabinet-level agencies. 'Government restructuring will be across the board and the functions of government agencies will be redefined altogether rather than just being streamlined,' he said. The restructuring is crucial, as it is linked to long-term governance, the efficiency of new agencies and the rights of civil servants, he said. 'The task will not be easy, ' Chu went on, adding that the proposed organic laws set out by various government agencies previously will have to be completely reworked to clearly define the functions of government agencies and provide a real assessment of staff requirements. He said the most complex agency might be an environment and resource ministry, saying that the weather -- including typhoons, earthquakes and flooding -- forestry, water conservation and construction will all be related to this ministry. The legislature passed the critical bills Jan. 12 that provide a legal basis for a major central government overhaul. According to the newly passed legislation, the 37 agencies presently under the Executive Yuan's jurisdiction will be streamlined into 27, with the two existing organs in charge of budget and personnel administration remaining intact. Under the revised laws, the Executive Yuan will have 14 ministries to handle the interior, foreign affairs, defense, finance, education, justice, economic affairs and energy, transportation and construction, labor, agriculture, health and welfare, the environment and resources, culture, and scientific and technological affairs. In addition, eight councils will be formed to handle national development, China affairs, financial supervision, marine affairs, expatriate affairs, veteran affairs, indigenous peoples affairs, and Hakka affairs. The central government will also have three independent bodies -- the Central Election Commission, the Fair Trade Commission and the National Communications Commission, while the central bank and the National Palace Museum remain unchanged. 