To mitigate the impacts, the NDRC said the government will provide subsidies for people working in the fishery, forestry and public transport sectors, which are most likely to be affected by price hikes.

In a bid to maintain prices, the government has also ordered railway and urban public transportation administrators not to hike prices.

The range of subsidy programs prepared in advance reflects the government's cautious steps for dealing with price hikes as huge uncertainties continue to loom over the country's price control target.

"Uncertainties both at home and abroad, including volatile commodity prices, weather conditions and rising labor and material costs, will make it difficult for China to keep the growth of inflation within 4 percent this year," said Zhuang.