Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay launched the state government’s ‘Thaaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam’ (Maternal Uncle Gold Ring Scheme) at the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai on 28 September 2026. Under the welfare initiative, eligible babies born in government hospitals will receive a one-gram, 22-carat gold ring.
The launch was held as part of the Tamil Nadu government's initiative to celebrate childbirth and encourage families to choose government healthcare facilities for deliveries. Vijay presented gold rings to 25 newborn babies during the launch programme at the hospital.
What is the Thaaimaman Thanga Mothiram scheme?
The scheme offers a one-gram gold ring to those children born in government hospitals and primary health centres in Tamil Nadu. The government has said the initiative is to honour motherhood, to celebrate childbirth and to build public confidence in government medical institutions.
The scheme reflects the traditional concept of ‘Thaaimaman Seer’ in which the maternal uncle has a special role in celebrating important family occasions involving a child.
According to the Tamil Nadu government’s announcement, the benefit applies to children born from June 22, 2026, onwards.
Who is eligible to be in the gold ring?
The scheme is available to babies born in government hospitals, if their mothers are permanent residents of Tamil Nadu. Beneficiaries are also required to be registered under PICME (Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation) system and have a Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) ID.
The government has said each ring will have a unique serial number and will be put in tamper-proof packaging. From the launch date, eligible babies will receive the ring after they are discharged from the hospital.
#WATCH | Madurai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay distributes gold rings to newborns at the Government Rajaji Hospital after inaugurating the state government's flagship 'Thaaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam' (Maternal Uncle Gold Ring Scheme).
— ANI (@ANI) September 28, 2026
(Visuals: TN DIPR) pic.twitter.com/xKhlPzKx7z
1.28 Lakh Gold Rings prepared in First Phase
For the first phase, the Tamil Nadu government has arranged around 1.28 lakh gold rings. Distribution arrangements have also been made through 107 hubs across the state to cover eligible babies born between June 22 and the launch date.
The government has allocated an annual outlay of ₹755.83 crore for the programme.
Why was the Scheme introduced?
The state government has said the scheme is intended to encourage institutional deliveries, build public confidence in government hospitals and support maternal and child healthcare.
According to government figures reported on the matter, Tamil Nadu records around 7.8 lakh births per year, most of which are delivered in government hospitals. The scheme is thus being positioned as part of the state’s broader public-health initiative.
