Delay in Surrogacy bill

Why in news?

There is a delay in the report on the contours of the controversial Surrogacy Regulation Bill, 2016.

What is status of surrogacy in India?

• Surrogacy is a method or agreement whereby a woman agrees to carry a pregnancy for another person or persons, who will become the new born child's parent(s) after birth.
• India has emerged as a surrogacy hub for couples from different countries.
• There have been reported incidents concerning unethical practices of surrogacy across country.
• Incidents such as exploitation of surrogate mothers, abandonment of children born out of surrogacy and rackets of intermediaries importing human gametes and embryos were also reported.

What are the features of Surrogacy bill?

• The Surrogacy Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on 2016.
• The Bill will ensure effective regulation of surrogacy.
• It prohibits commercial surrogacy.
• It allows ethical surrogacy to the needy infertile couples.
• Protects rights of surrogate mother and children born out of surrogacy.
• The law will apply to whole of India, except the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
• All Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) clinics will be registered.

What are the issues with the committee?

• It was referred to the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, with public asked to send suggestions by the last date of 13 April, 2017.
• Thereafter, an extension was sought till 11 July, and further extension is claimed by the committee till 11 September, 2017.
• No explanation has been given for why this crucial piece of pending legislation has missed the last session of Parliament.
• There is also lack of clarity on how many times committees can ask for such extensions.
• This 10-member committee, in which the ruling government has only three members, is chaired by Ram Gopal Yadav.

Source: First Post