Cabinet approves bill to regulate surrogacy

Sources said The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019 will be introduced in the ongoing session of parliament.

They said the proposed legislation will ensure effective regulation of surrogacy, prohibit commercial surrogacy and allow ethical surrogacy to the needy infertile Indian couples.

There have been reports of unethical practices, exploitation of surrogate mothers, abandonment of children born out of surrogacy and rackets of intermediaries importing human embryos and gametes. The bill seeks to prohibit exploitation of surrogate mothers and children born out of surrogacy.

The bill entails setting up a National Surrogacy Board. The states and union territories will constitute state surrogacy boards.

The sources said bill shall apply to the entire country except for Jammu and Kashmir.