Tamil Nadu Gold Ring for Newborns: CM Vijay to launch scheme on September 28; 1.28L pieces ready for stage 1 – check eligibility | Today’s news
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is set to launch a scheme to provide one-gram gold rings to newborns on September 28, the state government said on Friday.
1.28 lakh gold rings were procured by the government for the first phase of the scheme. The rings will be distributed to babies born in government hospitals across the state. Each ring will have a different serial number and will be packaged in tamper-resistant packaging, according to an official government statement.
Thailandaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam (Maternal Uncle’s Gold Ring Scheme) is a key election promise of the ruling TVK. Gold rings will be provided when recipients are discharged from hospitals.
The scheme will cover all districts except Chengalpattu and Tiruppur. The two constituencies include Maduranthakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies where polling is scheduled on October 6.
Eligibility criteria
As per the eligibility criteria, the mothers of the newborns must be domiciled in Tamil Nadu to receive the benefits.
They must also be registered with the Pregnancy and Infant Monitoring and Evaluation (PICME) system and possess a Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) identification card.
The citizenship card is issued after registration.
A look at the arrangements for the distribution of gold rings by the TN Govt
Under this scheme, the state government has invited tenders for procurement of 22 carat gold rings worth 4.41 lakhs with hallmark 916 certification. The distribution of the rings to the beneficiaries is planned in four phases. The first phase covers 1.28 lakh rings out of the total orders planned under the scheme.
Arrangements have been made to distribute gold rings at 107 centers to children born in government hospitals between June 22 — the CM’s birthday — and the launch date of the scheme, at a rate of 100 children per day.
The government said the system not only increases public confidence in government health services, but also promotes safe delivery practices in hospitals.
A government order implementing the scheme was announced on 23 June 2026.
The launch date announcement follows a review meeting chaired by the Chief Minister at the Secretariat, attended by Health Minister KG Arunraj, Chief Secretary M Saikumar, DGP Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal and several other top officials.
The Tamil Nadu government estimates that around 7.80 million babies are born in the state every year. Data from the National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6) show that 99.9% of these births take place in health facilities.
Of the total deliveries, around 4.20 lakh or 53% are done in government hospitals. Approximately 90% of these deliveries take place in Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care Centers (CEmONC).
Why was the launch delayed?
The gram gold ring program was initially planned to be launched on September 15, the birth anniversary of Dravidian leader CN Annadurai. However, the launch was delayed as Vijay traveled to the UK as part of efforts to attract investment to Tamil Nadu.
