The price of commercial cooking gas has been slashed by Rs. 36 from today onwards by the Oil Marketing Companies. With today's deduction, the price of the 19 kg commercial cylinder has been cut for the fourth time in the last four months. On June 1, there was a price cut of Rs. 136.

The deduction comes amid uproar in the ongoing Parliament session and in line with the weakening of international rates of oil.

The price of the commercial cylinder now stands at Rs. 2176 in Guwahati, bringing respite to restaurants, hotels, and other business establishments.

Contrarily, the price of domestic LPG has seen a constant rise, with the price of a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder being hiked four times in the last four months. Presently, domestic cooking gas costs Rs. 1102 in Guwahati.

Ashok Raja Baishya, president of the Northeast Indane Distributors Association informed the Business Northeast that with the exorbitant prices of cooking gas, distributors have recorded about a 30 percent decrease in sales for several months now.

"The sale of cylinder usually is less during summer months. But the increase in price has made it unaffordable to many. The distributors are also at a loss," said Baishya.