At its meeting on Wednesday, the Government declared 2012 “a year to support households.”
After the meeting, Prime Minister S.Batbold told journalists that the Government has two goals: to support people seeking work, and to raise the standard of living for all households. He added that the government plans to continue the “year of supporting employment,” which it declared last year.

According to statistics, there are 724,300 households in Mongolia at present, 130,000 of which are poor. The Premier said the Government will implement programs and projects to support households, especially those which are poor.

S.Batbold added that public participation in the program is crucial for implementation, and responsible cooperation between the public and the state is crucial for the country’s development.

After the meeting, Prime Minister S.Batbold also answered questions from reporters:

Q: What is your position on the DP pulling out of the Coalition Government? The DP’s National Consultative Committee will soon meet to discuss the issue.

A: The MPP won the most seats in the 2008 parliamentary election. It decided to speed the country’s development and people’s living standards. That is why we decided to collaborate with the DP to solve some big problems. As a result of the coalition, we have overcome financial and economic crises and weather-related disasters, and have achieved economic growth. Our cooperation has succeeded, and we cooperated for the country’s development, not for political reasons. The coalition government was founded on this principle. I believe our coalition will work together for the improvement of households.

Q: The Government has declared 2012 “a year to support households.” Is there funding for it in the state budget?

A: Enough money was appropriated in the 2012 state budget. MNT 47 billion will be allocated to social welfare and employment support. Also, sufficient capital has been allocated for supporting small- and middle-sized businesses. The state should monitor the results of capital spending and should pay attention to implementation. We should implement reforms on policies, methods, and legislation.