Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay will launch the Thaaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam, a new welfare scheme that provides a one-gram gold ring to newborn babies delivered at government hospitals.
The scheme will be launched on Monday at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai. Vijay is scheduled to arrive in Madurai by a special flight and inaugurate the programme at the GRH auditorium. He will distribute gold rings to 25 newborn babies as part of the launch.
The Chief Minister is also expected to visit the maternity ward and personally present gold rings to babies born at the hospital on the day.
One-Gram Gold Ring Scheme for Newborns
Under the Tamil Nadu government one-gram gold ring scheme, every eligible newborn delivered at a government hospital will receive a one-gram, 22-carat gold ring.
To qualify, the mother must be a permanent resident of Tamil Nadu. Beneficiaries must also 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 to eligible beneficiaries when they are discharged from the hospital.
The rings will have unique serial numbers and will be distributed in tamper-proof packaging to ensure transparency and prevent misuse.
Rs 755.83 Crore Annual Allocation
The Tamil Nadu government has allocated an annual budget of Rs 755.83 crore for the scheme. In its first phase, around 1.28 lakh one-gram gold rings have been prepared for distribution.
Work orders have been issued to Joyalukkas and Kalyan Jewellers for supplying the gold rings.
The government notified the scheme through a Government Order on June 23, 2026.
Scheme to Cover Government Hospitals Across Tamil Nadu
The Thaaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam will be implemented across Tamil Nadu, except in areas under the Maduranthakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies, where bypolls are scheduled for October 6.
According to government data, around 7.80 lakh children are born in Tamil Nadu every year. The government has cited NFHS-6 data showing that 99.9 per cent of deliveries take place in healthcare institutions.
Around 4.20 lakh deliveries, or 53 per cent, take place in government hospitals. Nearly 90 per cent of government institutional deliveries are reported to occur at Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC) centres.
District-Level Monitoring Committee
To ensure proper implementation, a specialised monitoring committee headed by the respective district Collector has been constituted in every district.
The committees will oversee the distribution of gold rings, inventory management and transparency in implementation.
Government sources said the scheme is intended to strengthen public confidence in government healthcare services and encourage safe institutional deliveries.
The Thaaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam was originally scheduled to be launched on September 15, the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister C N Annadurai. However, the launch was postponed because of Vijay’s overseas visit to London.
Vijay to Inaugurate Gandhi Memorial Museum Renovation
During his Madurai visit, Vijay will also inaugurate the renovated Gandhi Memorial Museum and inspect its facilities.
Although not officially confirmed, he is also expected to visit the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, which recently underwent consecration.
The one-gram gold ring initiative is a key pre-poll promise of the ruling TVK and is aimed at eligible newborns delivered in government hospitals across Tamil Nadu.
