Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today announced the decision of the state government to waive off the 5 per cent value added tax (VAT) on kerosene. The decision to make kerosene VAT-free would make it cheaper by 70 paise per litre. The consumer in Haryana would now have to pay Rs 14 per litre instead of Rs 14.70 per litre. The VAT on LPG having already been waived in 2008, the waiver on kerosene today makes Haryana a VAT-free state for two key items. The Chief Minister said that the state was charging minimum 8.8 per cent (9.24 per cent, including surcharge) on diesel, which was the lowest VAT rate in the country. He said, the state government had decided to waive off VAT in keeping with the directions of the Congress President Sonia Gandhi, to minimise burden on the masses.