Bhopal, Sep 4 (IANS): The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to increase the insurance limit on surrogacy policy for women up to Rs 10 lakh.

The women giving birth to a child through surrogacy in Madhya Pradesh are till now getting the benefit of insurance only up to Rs 2 lakh.

Therefore, the state government has decided to increase the amount by Rs 8 lakh for the women accepting the surrogacy policy in the state.

The decision has been made during a review meeting of the State Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Board.

Health Minister Rajendra Shukla, who chaired the review meeting, has directed the board to make quick decisions after proper consideration of the surrogacy cases in the state.

Confirming the report, an official with the health department told IANS: "Decision has been made to increase insurance limit for women adopting surrogacy policy up to Rs 10 lakh against. Notification would be issued soon."

In Madhya Pradesh, 126 institutions (ART Bank, ART Level -1 Clinic, ART Level -2 Clinic and Surrogacy) are registered under the State Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Regulation Act 2021.

During the meeting, it was also decided that the F forms filled during sonography can be uploaded anytime in the next five days and not on the same day.

The officials have been instructed to focus on streamlining the technical procedures for uploading digital Form F.

Notably, earlier this year, the Centre has modified the Surrogacy (Regulation) Rules, 2022 and notified that both gametes need not come from a married couple in case they are certified as suffering from a medical condition.

According to the amended rule, the couple can have a child born through surrogacy but must have at least one gamete from the intending couple.

The the new rule also made it clear that single women (widow or divorcee) undergoing surrogacy must use self-eggs and donor sperm to avail surrogacy procedures.