Born in a government hospital? Tamil Nadu newborns to get a gold ring under new scheme

Madurai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay will launch the Thaaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam, a welfare scheme under which newborns delivered at government hospitals will receive a one-gram gold ring, in Madurai on Monday.

According to government sources, Vijay will arrive in Madurai by special flight and launch the scheme at the auditorium of Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH). He is expected to present gold rings to 25 newborns during the inaugural event and visit the maternity ward to personally hand over rings to babies born on the day.

Under the scheme, each eligible newborn delivered at a government hospital will receive a one-gram, 22-carat gold ring. The mother of the newborn must be a permanent resident of Tamil Nadu to qualify.

The scheme was initially scheduled to be launched on September 15, the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister C N Annadurai, but was postponed due to Vijay's overseas visit to London.

The state government has allocated an annual outlay of Rs 755.83 crore for the scheme, with 1.28 lakh gold rings prepared for the first phase. The rings will carry unique serial numbers and be distributed in tamper-proof packaging, according to a government press release.

The scheme will be implemented across Tamil Nadu, except in areas under the Maduranthakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies, where bypolls are scheduled for October 6.

To receive the benefit, eligible mothers must be registered under the Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation (PICME) system and have a Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) ID. The gold rings will be handed over when beneficiaries are discharged from the hospital.

Government sources said the scheme is intended to strengthen public confidence in government healthcare services and encourage safe deliveries at hospitals.

Tamil Nadu records around 7.80 lakh births every year. According to the government, 99.9 per cent of deliveries take place in healthcare institutions, based on National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6) data. Around 4.20 lakh deliveries, or 53 per cent, take place at government hospitals, with 90 per cent of government institutional deliveries occurring at Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC) centres.

A monitoring committee headed by the respective district Collector has been formed in every district to oversee implementation, track inventory and ensure transparency in the distribution of the rings.

Work orders have been issued to Joyalukkas and Kalyan Jewellers to supply the one-gram gold rings. The Thaaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam is among the ruling TVK's key pre-poll promises. A Government Order notifying the implementation of the scheme was issued on June 23, 2026.

Later on Monday, Vijay is scheduled to inaugurate the renovated Gandhi Memorial Museum and inspect its facilities.

Although there has been no official confirmation, Vijay is also expected to visit the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, which recently underwent consecration.

(PTI)