Cabinet approves amendment to surrogacy law
new delhi —The Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval for moving official amendments in a bill which aims at banning commercial surrogacy, allowing altruistic surrogacy to needy infertile couples and its effective regulation in the country.
The ‘Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016’ proposes to regulate surrogacy by establishing appropriate authorities at the central level and in states and Union Territories, an official statement said.
Once the bill is enacted by the Parliament, the National Surrogacy Board will be constituted and the states and UTs will have to constitute the State Surrogacy Board and State Appropriate Authorities within three months of the notification by the central government.
“Once in effect, the Act will regulate the surrogacy services in the country and will control the unethical practices in surrogacy, prevent commercialisation of surrogacy and will prohibit potential exploitation of surrogate mothers and children born through surrogacy,” the statement said.
While commercial surrogacy will be prohibited including sale and purchase of human embryo and gametes, ethical surrogacy to the needy infertile couples will be allowed on fulfilment of certain conditions and for specific purposes, it said.
Infertile married couples who want to avail ethical surrogacy will be benefitted, the rights of surrogate mother and children born out of surrogacy will also be protected.
Noting that India is emerging as a “surrogacy hub” for couples from different countries, it said there have been reported incidents concerning unethical practices, exploitation of surrogate mothers, abandonment of children born out of surrogacy and rackets of intermediaries importing human embryos and gametes.
The 102nd report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare on the Bill was tabled in Rajya Sabha and simultaneously in Lok Sabha on August 10, last year. The panel had recommended there should be no discrimination against people of Indian-origin living abroad seeking to use surrogacy services in India.
There is “no point” in restricting Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) from using surrogacy services, the panel’s report, tabled in Parliament, said. — PTI