City officials have been demanding more economic
powers and authority for long but no decision has yet been taken. Meanwhile, next
year’s state budget shows an MNT26-billion deficit for the city and the Civil
Representative Assembly will meet on December 23 to discuss and pass the city’s
budget of 2011.

Mayor G.Munkhbayar talked to our journalist
about the meeting.

What
are the main features of the budget?

It has an estimated income of MNT151
billion and expenditure of MNT133 billion. The CRA will discuss both in detail.
The main work before us is development of ger districts. Money was always a
problem but now we have started building apartment blocks in ger districts.
Residents of central ger districts should be paid compensation to leave the area
where they live, and finally MNT20 billion is included for this in 2011. The
apartments to be built will be sold at an affordable price and those in the ger
districts who vacate their land to allow the construction will be offered the
apartments first. MNT9 billion is planned to be spent on planting trees. We also
want to pay street cleaners more.

Has
there been any progress in making the city self-financing?

The state budget has asked us to raise
MNT26 billion to meet the deficit in 2011. Proposals to give us more economic
independence will be discussed early in the new year.  These will give us the power to levy taxes
and also allocate to us a share of the VAT revenue collected in the city  

This
year you spent MNT30 billion to provide transportation subsidy. Will this
continue?

The subsidy was to allow older people and
students to travel cheap. This is now included in the state budget.

Why is
the air pollution situation not improving?

A pollution fund has been established by
Parliament resolution and it will work under the Ministry of Nature,
Environment and Tourism. However, as Ulaanbaatar residents are the worst
sufferers, we also have certain plans. We have plans also to conserve surface
water and to repair flood protecting structures.