Smriti Irani details changes in Surrogacy Bill: Allows willing women, widows for surrogacy

Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved major changes to Surrogacy Bill following recommendations of Select Committee of Rajya Sabha. As per recent changes, a willing woman can be a surrogate mor and a widow or divorced woman will also have a right to surrogacy, apart from infertile Indian couples. 

As per reports, cabinet approved  Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2020 to ensure effective regulation of surrogacy, to prohibit commercial surrogacy and to allow altruistic surrogacy. Bill is likely to be taken up for pass in second half of Budget Session of Parliament.       

Read: Rajya Sabha refers Surrogacy Bill to select committee amid multiple objections

Smriti Irani details changes

Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday detailed changes in Surrogacy Bill.

According to her, insurance cover of a surrogate mor would be increased from 16 months to 36 months. Speaking about rights to surrogacy, she said, " right will be of Indian married couples, Indian origin married couple in which both are of Indian origin and in single women category, right will be of widow and divorcee." 

Read: Rajya Sabha members seek changes in surrogacy bill over , eligibility, marri rms

According to Minister,  term of national boards has been extended from one to three years. Lauding government, Irani said, "Systemically, under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, be it medical termination of pregnancy, be it ART (Assisted Reproductive Techlogy) Bill or Surrogacy Bill that we speak of today, fact that our Prime Minister has led from front with a liberal view on issues of reproductive rights of women is something that I am extremely proud of as an Indian woman."  

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What is Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill?

Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019 was introduced by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan in Lok Sabha. Bill prohibits commercial surrogacy allowing only altruistic surrogacy (surrogacy which involves monetary compensation), as explained PRS. Bill also defines surrogacy in terms of intending couple and woman gives birth - with intention to hand over child after birth.

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(With ANI Inputs)