MPs elected from Ulaanbaatar held a meeting with the Mayor
and other officials to discuss how services in the city can be improved. Mayor
G.Munkhbayar said the city has to be run with the MNT35 billion allocated from
the state budget this year and suggested a review of the proposal to make the
capital independent of the budget and allow it to raise its own resources. Two
other issues discussed at the meeting related to the state paying for subsidized
public transportation for students and creating more khoroos. The MPs were also
requested for help to build 60 new police stations in the city.

MP D.Zorig asked how the MNT35 billion was being spent.  The Mayor said MNT35billion is the cost of one
flyover included in the master plan for the city, which, however, is being
built with foreign grants and loans. The other planned projects are extending
construction, to allot land in the ger districts, to clean the Selbe and the Dund
rivers, and to provide for better water supply.

MP D.Ochirbat agreed with the Mayor that the state budget should have more for
the city. He wanted to know what was being planned to reduce the smoke
pollution. Deputy Mayor D.Ganbold said they had little money under this head
and hoped use of 100,000 tons smokeless firewood would reduce smoke by 10%. With
more money for such fuel next year, it will be reduced 30%

MP D.Terbishdagve said the territory status has to be changed to make more
money available. MP L.Gantomor said the Smokeless Ulaanbaatar project needs
USD810 billion and suggested raising the money by sale of bonds. He asked the
Mayor to open talks with the Government on the water issue.

The meeting also discussed road improvement, bridge maintenance, and
construction of the 100 apartments in each district.