Over 130,000 families will benefit from compensations for natural gas use, which were increased by 9% on average. The Government approved Wednesday these rises meant for the household consumers. By the end of the year, the state budget will pay compensations worth over 3.5 mln lei. The compensations of the costs for the natural gas consumption were established by the Parliament in July 2006 after the price of natural went up to USD 160 per one thousand cubic meters. The Law regarding the measures of social protection of population stipulated the compensation from the state budget of the expenditures for natural gas in the volume of up to 30 cu. m monthly for a dwelling. The quantum of compensated expenditures is being calculated in proportion of 50% of the difference between the size of the recently established gas price and size of the old price, including VAT (5%), multiplied by the volume of natural gas consumed in the limit of 30 cu. m. There are compensated only the expenditures of the household consumers who concluded contracts on natural gas supply with gas distribution enterprises. This year, after increasing the gas price to USD 170, household consumers who use up to 30 cu. m per month, pay a charge of 2406 lei/1000 cu. m, and those who consume over 30 cu. m, as well as other final consumers, the charge is 3022 lei.