Newborns delivered in Tamil Nadu government hospitals will be eligible for a one-gram gold ring under a new welfare scheme to be launched by Chief Minister Vijay on September 28. The ‘Thaimaman Thanga Mothiram’, or Maternal Uncle Gold Ring scheme, was announced as an electoral promise of Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government.
The benefit will be available retrospectively to eligible babies born in government hospitals from June 22, 2026. The government plans to distribute the rings through 107 hubs, with beneficiaries receiving them when they are discharged from hospital. The first phase has already seen 1.28 lakh rings procured.
However, the scheme will not be implemented in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, the two Assembly constituencies
going to bypolls on October 6. According to Election Commission sources cited by NDTV, the state government has not received the poll panel’s permission to introduce the gold ring scheme in these constituencies. The government has received clearance only for expanding its free breakfast programme, the sources said.
Why Is The Scheme Being Introduced?
The Tamil Nadu government has said the initiative is aimed at encouraging deliveries in government hospitals and strengthening public confidence in state healthcare. It also draws from the Tamil tradition of a maternal uncle giving gold or other gifts to a newborn.
Under the scheme, the mother must be a permanent resident of Tamil Nadu and registered on PICME with an RCH identification number. Each ring will carry a unique serial number and be provided in tamper proof packaging.
The state records around 7.8 lakh births every year, according to government figures. Nearly 99.9 per cent of deliveries take place in hospitals, while around 4.2 lakh, or 53 per cent, are conducted in government hospitals.
The government has allocated around Rs 755 crore annually for the scheme. Earlier government documents put the allocation at Rs 755.83 crore.
Scheme Comes Ahead Of October 6 Bypolls
The rollout comes ahead of the October 6 Assembly bypolls in Madurantakam and Dharapuram. Seven Assembly seats are currently vacant, with polling scheduled in two of them.
The scheme is also among the welfare measures associated with Vijay’s transition from a popular film actor to political leadership. While the government has presented the gold rings as a maternal and child welfare measure rooted in Tamil tradition, its timing ahead of the bypolls has given the initiative added political significance.
The TVK government has also repeatedly spoken about the state’s financial position and claimed that it inherited depleted finances from the previous DMK government. Its welfare spending, including the gold ring scheme, is therefore likely to remain part of the political debate.
