Mongolia Looks Set to Prosper Under New Government
ON September 17, Parliament approved the structure of the new coalition government as submitted by the Prime Minister S.Bayar. The new government will have 15 ministers and 11 ministries, 40 percent of which will be headed by the opposition Democratic Party. Prime Minister Bayar decided to name two new Deputy Prime Ministers, representing two coalition partners. According to media speculation, one of the two appointed Deputy Prime Ministers may be the current leader of the Democratic Party. The higher-ranking Deputy Premier would rule the affairs of intellectual property, patent, regulation of unfair competition, and the development of free economic and trade zones. The other Deputy Premier’s office would govern regional development issues, disaster prevention, professional inspection, and children and youth affairs. The most important appointment would be the selection of an official to head a new institution, the Ministry of Minerals, which would be charged with overseeing mining, including minerals and oil, as well as fuel and energy. Who will head this institution is still unclear. Appointments are yet to be formally presented to Parliament. After that event they can then be approved the following week. The structure of the new government is as follows: Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Ministry of Nature and Tourism, Ministry of Infrastructure and Urban Development, Ministry Social Welfare and Labor, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, and Cabinet Secretariat Office. On September 12, the leaders of the two opposing political parties, Chairman of the MPRP S.Bayar and DP Head N.Altankhuyag, signed a political agreement to share power until the parliamentary election of 2012. According to the nine-articled plan of action, the coalition government will focus on increasing individual income by creating 60,000 jobs. The average family income is projected to reach up to Tg1 million per annum, and pension and other social allowances are to increase threefold. Also, the new government plans to continue one-time cash giveaways for newly-wed couples and newborn babies. In an effort to promote childbirth, Tg300,000 cash will be given to any young couple who produce a third child. Mothers of more than five children will be given up to Tg1 million every year. In agriculture, the government plans to freeze dependence on imported milk, flour, potatoes and vegetables, and to supply all its domestic market by supporting national producers. The government also plans to encourage the importation of hybrid cars, efficient consumption of energy, and re-planning of suburban ger districts in the efforts to reduce air pollution. In the public health sector, the government plans to run a new policy that promotes public education and prevention of illness rather than late treatment. Under that policy, each person would be able to receive a free medical checkup every year. In the education sector, the government plans to increase the number of university students and vocational trainees studying engineering, geology, mining, and construction technologies. For the development of the rural population, each soum would have a development fund that promotes the livelihoods of local herding communities. Herders are also expected to be freed from personal income tax. In the field of mining, the government plans to redefine its mineral’s policy, to make revisions in the mining law, to promote ecologically friendly mines, and to push strategically significant mineral deposits into production. The government also plans to distribute mining revenue made from strategic deposits with a minimum of Tg1.5 million awarded to each eligible citizen in the country. In industry, the government intends to produce end-user products by processing its cashmere and animal hides. It also plans to run major projects such as an oil refinery, coal-to-liquid, and natural gas production, as well as nuclear energy to help attain its mineral wealth. In addition to infrastructure improvements, such as a new international airport, all provincial centers will be linked with Ulaanbaatar with new motorways, and a second line of railroad that connects Altanbulag and Zamin-Uud will be built in the coming years. Construction of a motorway that connects Ulaanbaatar with Oyu Tolgoi and Tavan Tolgoi mines will begin under this government. The construction of a new power plant for the nation’s capital is among the top infrastructure projects. Written by Ch.Sumiyabazar |
