'Thaaimaman' Vijay launches gold assistance for newborns in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday launched the Thaaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam (Maternal Uncle Gold Ring Scheme), a continuation of the gold-assistance tradition in the state.

Under the scheme, eligible newborns delivered at government hospitals will receive a one-gram, 22-carat gold ring for free. Chief Minister Vijay launched the scheme at the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.

The gold assistance, which was a pre-poll promise of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has been introduced as an initiative to honour motherhood, promote women's health and encourage institutional births by attracting more families to public healthcare.

The state government has allocated an annual outlay of Rs 755.83 crore for the ambitious scheme. In the first phase, 1.28 lakh gold rings have been made ready. A Government Order regarding the implementation of the same was notified on June 23, 2026.

Who is eligible for the latest scheme?

The scheme applies to babies born on or after June 22, 2026, in state-run hospitals to native women of Tamil Nadu.

The eligible beneficiaries should also be registered under the Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation (PICME) system and have a Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) ID.

Key features of the scheme

• The gold rings will carry unique serial numbers and be distributed in tamper-proof packaging, the government said in a press release.
• The gold rings will be provided when the beneficiaries are discharged from the hospitals.
• A specialised monitoring committee headed by the respective district Collector has been constituted in every district to oversee local implementation, inventory tracking and transparency in distribution.
• The scheme will be implemented across the state, except in areas falling under the Maduranthakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies, where bypolls are scheduled to be held on October 6.
• Work orders have been issued to Joyalukkas and Kalyan Jewellers for the supply of one-gram gold rings under the Scheme.