Tamil Nadu CM Vijay to launch one-gram gold ring scheme on September 28

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay will launch the one-gram gold ring scheme for babies on September 28, the state government announced on Friday.

As many as 1.28 lakh gold rings have been procured for distribution to beneficiaries under the first installment and it will be provided to all the babies born in state-run hospitals.

The gold ring will have a unique serial number and tamper-proof packaging, the government said in an official release.

In order to be eligible to avail the one-gram gold ring scheme, beneficiaries -- mothers of newborns -- must be permanent residents of Tamil Nadu.

They should have registration under the PICME (Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation) and RCH (Reproductive and Child Health ID) identity card.

The identity card is issued following registration.

The scheme will be launched by the chief minister on September, 28, 2026.

Appropriate arrangements have been made to distribute gold rings in 107 centres to children born in government hospitals between June 22 -- the CM's birthday-- and the scheme's launch date, at a rate of 100 children per day.

Gold rings will be provided at the time of discharge of beneficiaries from the hospitals.

The government said that the scheme not only increases public trust in government healthcare services but also promotes safe delivery practices in hospitals.

It strengthens maternal and child health protection, and demonstrates the government's commitment to child welfare.

The Thaimaaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam (Maternal Uncle Gold Ring Scheme), is a key pre-poll promise of the ruling TVK.

A Government Order on the implementation of the scheme was notified on June 23, 2026.

The announcement on launch date follows a review meeting chaired by the chief minister at the Secretariat in which Health Minister KG Arunraj, Chief Secretary M Saikumar, DGP Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal and several other top officils took part.

According to the government, in Tamil Nadu, 7.80 lakh children are born annually and as per the National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6), 99.9 per cent of these deliveries take place in hospitals.

Among them, 4.20 lakh deliveries (53 per cent) occur in government hospitals, with 90 per cent taking place in CEmONC Centres (Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care Centres).

By rendering such services, the public healthcare system plays a vital role in ensuring safe deliveries and the birth of healthy children.