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YEREVAN, JANUARY 21, ARMENPRESS:Prime minister Serzh Sarkisian toured the northwestern province of Shirak Saturday to see how budget money, earmarked for development projects, was being utilized. His first stop was in the village of Sarnaghbyur which will have a repaired road connecting it with Maralik town. The project’s cost is 200 million Drams. The village that has over 3,000 population is also set to be connected soon to the natural gas network. The network will then extend to neighboring villages of Dzithankov and Karaberd. In Maralik, the center of the same-name region, prime minister Serzh Sarkisian visited a factory which produces towels, threads, bed sheets and socks. The factory has 200 workers whose average wage is 70,000 Drams. The prime minister then headed for Akhurian town to see the pace of construction of a sugar plant, which is supposed to be over in 2009. The plant is being constructed by Salex company which will have invested a total of $55 million in it. It is expected to process annually 1 million tons of sugar beet. When ready is will hire up to 1,200 people. The prime minister also visited the town of Artik and then he headed foe nearby villages which are being connected to the natural gas network. During a meeting with officials of Artik Serzh Sarkisian said by the end of May each homeless family in this area that was hit by 1988 earthquake will know for sure when they will move to new houses or apartments.