Uzbekistan’s government is to be radically streamlined under changes taking effect on New Year’s Day. A decree adopted by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will see the number of ministries and other units of government trimmed by half, from 61 at present to 28. Staff numbers will be reduced by 30 percent and many government buildings and assets sold off, leading to an estimated recouping of 2.8 trillion sum ($250 million), officials have said. This move to reduce the size of the government comes on the heels of a state of the nation speech delivered by Mirziyoyev in which the president offered fur…