The Centre on Tuesday said it would seek an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the Gurgaon kidney racket and will bring in amendments to the National Organ Transplant Act making punishment for illegal organ trade more stringent.
"Since it (the racket) may involve multiple states and cities like Mumbai, Noida and Gurgaon, we will soon be requesting the CBI to undertake a detailed investigation and give a comprehensive report on how widespread the problem is," Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss said.
"We have asked the Haryana government to take steps and also sought some more information from them regarding the kind of steps they have taken," Ramadoss said.
The minister said the government would also bring in an amendment to the National Organ Transplant Act in the coming budget session to make it simpler and also enhance punishment for those indulging in illegal trade of organs.
The amendment to the Act will be two-pronged. It will try to make it simpler and more transparent, the minister said. Any transplant in the country will be mentioned online.
The government would also launch a national programme on creating awareness about organ transplant, he said. "A major mass-media campaign will soon be organised in the country to bring about a behavioural change so that people are willing to donate organs".