On Sunday 29 November, Mongolia decided to write off payments of water, heat, electricity and waste for households and organisations across the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision came into effect from 1 December and will last until to 1 July, 2021, said Prime Minister Ukhnaa Khurelsukh at a press conference after an irregular government meeting. Not covered by the legislation will be governmental organisations, state and local-owned entities, mining companies, wholesalers, retailers, and alcohol or tobacco producers; these will, in effect, bear the burden of supporting the most vulnerable.

Erdenet Mining Corporation, one of the biggest state-owned enterprises, is expected to pay for about MNT 650 billion (USD 228 million) needed to implement this decision.

More than 890,000 households and 123,800 organisations will benefit from the write-off, according to official data.

In addition, Mongolia decided to cut the price of processed fuel by 75 percent during the period to support the livelihoods in ger areas of the capital city Ulaanbaatar. Earlier, it had reduced the price by 50 percent. About 220,000 households live in the capital’s ger districts, with no running water, central heating or sewerage systems