NDRC scales back its responsibilities

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The revamp of China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) aims at “losing weight the healthy way,” said He Lifeng, head of the top economic planner, about a scaling back of roles and responsibilities of the planner as part of the sweeping institutional overhaul unveiled earlier this month.

This slim-down means the NDRC would give up functions where the market should play a decisive role, said He on Sunday at the China Development Forum in Beijing, noting that the agency will step up research in macro management, such as regional development strategy, industrial development research, and top-level design.

The NDRC has been a sprawling power center in the world’s second-biggest economy, with a huge swathe of duties ranging from approving high-speed railway projects to deciding energy prices.

After the governmental restructuring, the NDRC will remain one of the 26 bodies under the State Council, but will no longer be responsible for some functions, including climate change policy, anti-trust regulation and approving agricultural investment projects.

The climate change and low-carbon growth will be switched to the Environment Ministry, the anti-trust review to the new market supervision administration, and the agricultural projects to the new Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

In addition, its oversight of “key national projects” will be transferred to the National Audit Office, and the new health commission will take over pricing of medicines and health care services.