A People's Commissariat (; Narkomat) was a structure in the Soviet state (in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, in other union and autonomous republics, in the Soviet Union) from 1917–1946 which functioned as the central executive body in charge of managing a particular field of state activity or a separate sector of the national economy; analogue of the ministry. As a rule, a People's Commissariat was headed by a People's Commissar (; Narkom), which is part of the government – the Council of People's Commissars of the appropriate level. Commissariats were created as central organs of state administration when Soviet power was established in the republics in the territory of the former Russian Empire. The number of People's Commissariats changed in accordance with the requirements of the current moment; overall it increased due to the separation of existing ones and the formation of new ones. First People's Commissariats The first People's Commissariats were created by the "Decree on the establishment of the Council of People's Commissars", adopted by the 2nd Congress of Soviets on November 9, 1917. The decree was established: The All-Russian Congress of Soviets and its executive body, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, had the right to control the activities of the People's Commissars and to remove them. By the same decree the first composition of the Council of People's Commissars was formed, including the list of People's Commissariats: People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs; People's Commissariat of Agriculture; People's Commissariat of Labor; People's Commissariat for Military and Naval Affairs; People's Commissariat of Trade and Industry; People's Commissariat of Education; People's Commissariat of Finance; People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs; People's Commissariat of Justice; People's Commissariat of Food; People's Commissariat of Posts and Telegraphs; People's Commissariat of National Affairs; People's Commissariat of Railway Affairs. Later, by a decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of December 15, 1917, the Supreme Council of National Economy under the Council of People's Commissars, which had the status of People's Commissariat, was established to organize and manage the national economy. When Soviet power was established in other Soviet republics, similar commissariats were established on the territory of the former Russian Empire. Salary The Council of People's Commissars adopted on December 1, 1917, at the suggestion of Lenin, the decree "On the amount of remuneration of the people's commissars and senior officials" (published on December 6, 1917, in