YEREVAN (ARKA), March 18–The Armenian government is discussing steps to be taken to shield socially vulnerable people from the impact of utilities price hikes, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian said Wednesday before the National Assembly.

He said that the Armenian government was thinking over the matter. He also said that a group had been set up for dealing with this problem. A few possible steps are under discussion now.

The premier said that the results of the group’s activity will be made public and its decisions will be unveiled soon.

“We understand very well that Armenia is troubled by poverty, and support of low-income people is among the government’s top-priority focuses. There are appropriate provisions in the government’s activity program. More than that, we intend not to cut social projects and implement them fully. That’s one of the key principles in our bailout program.”

Prime Minister Sarkisian said that the government was guided by this principle in 2009 and intends to find financial resources for solving social problems.

On April 1, the price of natural gas for Armenian consumers will be raised 37.5 percent from the present rate of 96 dram to 132 dram per one cubic meter.

Those consumers using more than 10,000 cubic meters of gas monthly will pay $243.13 per each 1,000 cubic meters instead of $215 that they currently pay.

In late February, Yerevan Jur water company appealed to the Public Services Regulatory Commission for authorization to raise water prices from the present cost of 181 dram per one cubic meter to 207 dram.