Ecuador's central government and the country's 22 governors began Wednesday studying proposals on decentralization and territorial reordering, the presidential office said.

The group is analyzing initiatives to create autonomous territories, to be headed by a regional authority.

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa proposed to have a "regional governor, elected by the people, with a regional assembly" in his radio show last weekend.

Correa said he was in favor of dividing Ecuador into seven "equally strong" regions for a better distribution of resources.

The proposal, which does not seek to eliminate the provinces, aims to create a territorial reordering to aid development and distribute funds equally, according to the president.

Ecuador's National Planning and Development Secretary Fander Falconi said members of the decentralization commission are reaching agreements on some of the issues.

The commission's deductions will be handed over to the assembly that is fleshing out the new constitution.