From July 1, utility tariffs will rise. They will be raised to the level of inflation forecasted for this year - by 4%. This will affect the population, as well as industry and grid companies, said Deputy Minister of Economic Development Nikolai Podguzov.

And this "tariff policy will continue in the future," quoted his words "Izvestia".

This decision the Federal Antimonopoly Service adopted on the basis of the forecast of socio-economic development of Russia for 2017 - 2019. The Ministry of Economic Development has put in it an increase in gas tariffs for the population and industry by 3.9%, and for heat and water supply for all consumers and for rail transportation for both the public and for freight - by 4%. And the total payment for utilities for citizens will grow within 4%.

This was confirmed by the head of the department of fuel and energy complex FAS Dmitry Makhonin. He also clarified that "the decision to index wholesale gas prices for legal entities was taken a week ago, and for the population - back in February".

When making the forecast and increasing the tariffs, the Ministry of Economic Development and the FAS proceed from the principle of "inflation minus" (less than forecast inflation). This is necessary to curb price rises and diversify the economy.

As a result of this year, the Ministry of Economic Development has laid the new macro forecast up to 2020, inflation is lower - 3.8%. And the head of the department Maxim Oreshkin during the government hour in the State Duma announced the possibility of slowing inflation this year to 3.6%.

This year, tariffs will not be indexed on the principle of "inflation minus", assured senior analyst Alpari Anna Bodrova. In her opinion, limiting the growth of tariffs by the inflationary level is possible only "at the time of increasing the cost of housing and communal services". But, even if inflation is minimal, "there will not be any revisions to the tariffs," she said..

Expert "Finam" Alexei Kalachev objected to her. He said that it is impossible to reconcile the figures to the decimal place, and the discrepancy within the tenths of a percent is the rate of statistical error.

It "can reach 3.6 - 3.7%, as Maxim Oreshkin recently stated, or maybe 3.5% or 3.8%, or even 4.1%, suggested Kalachev. At the same time, "tariffs have to be raised now, and it is important that the increase does not go too far beyond the target value". And the principle of indexation of tariffs "inflation minus" formulated by ex-Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukayev "is no more than a landmark," he stressed..

July 2015. The Federal Tariff Service, which previously established tariffs, was abolished, and its functions began to be performed by FAS. It is to this service that organizations that carry out regulated activities send data on costs for setting tariffs. FAS employees study the economic validity of tariffs and establish their.