The Union Government on Friday reiterated its proposed move to ban commercial surrogacy to prevent exploitation of surrogate mothers through a legislation. The proposed legislation is currently under inter-ministerial consultation. Replying in the lok Sabha, Health Minister JP Nadda said the Department of Health Research has already drafted the new Bill and consultations with the Ministry of Women and Child Development on this regard.
Nadda said that Government had issued notices to DHR conveying ban on import of human embryos except for research purposes and Ministry of Home Affairs asking them to not grant visa to foreign national (including Oversees Citizen of India) intending to visit India for commissioning surrogacy.” The State Governments have been asked to constitute regulatory authorities to regulate surrogacy as per the National Guidelines for Accreditation Supervision and Regulation of ART clinics issued by Government in 2005,” he said.
Provisions will also be made in the draft Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill to ensure medical, nutrition and overall health care of surrogate mothers in consultation with the Ministry of Women and Child Development.