The cabinet today approved a proposal to introduce 1 percent surcharge on mobile phone use, cabinet secretary says.

The government will earn Tk 140 crore each year when the law will become effective, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told reporters after the regular cabinet meeting at the secretariat.

As per the draft of the Development Surcharge and Levy (impose and collection) Act, 2015, the income will be spent on the education and health sectors of the country, the secretary said.

The proposal now will be sent to the parliament for approval, he added.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting.