KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress President Gagan Kumar Thapa has welcomed the government’s decision to abolish the 3 percent parity tax on education and health services from the current fiscal year, describing the move as appropriate.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Thapa said his party had opposed the tax from the outset, arguing that education and healthcare are essential services rather than luxury goods. He said many people rely on private schools and hospitals out of necessity, not choice, and that imposing additional taxes on service providers would not address the sector’s challenges.

Thapa also emphasized that the private sector is an important partner in the country’s education and health systems and urged the government to complete the necessary legal and administrative procedures to implement its decision.