India: Newborn babies in Tamil Nadu to receive 1-gram gold rings
Scheme covers all newborns without gender or birth order restrictions
DUBAI – The Tamil Nadu government is set to introduce a new welfare initiative that will gift one-gram gold rings to babies born in state-run hospitals, blending public healthcare support with a traditional cultural practice.
Named the ‘Thaimaaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam’ (Maternal Uncle Gold Ring Scheme), the programme will be launched by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on September 15. Under the initiative, every newborn delivered at government healthcare facilities across Tamil Nadu will receive a gold ring as a symbolic welcome gift.
The scheme is inspired by the Tamil tradition of ‘Thaimaaman Seer’, where a maternal uncle presents gifts to a newborn child and family as a gesture of blessing and celebration. Through the programme, the state government will take the role of the maternal uncle by presenting a gold ring to children born in its institutions.
According to a government order issued this week, the initiative fulfils an announcement made by Vijay ahead of the April 23 Assembly election, when he promised to gift gold rings to newborns across the state.
The scheme will officially begin on September 15, marking the birth anniversary of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C N Annadurai. However, it will apply retrospectively from June 22, Vijay’s birthday, allowing eligible newborns born from that date to receive benefits.
A cultural tradition
Gold has strong cultural significance in Tamil Nadu and is traditionally linked with celebrations, prosperity and important family occasions. The government stated that the gold ring would commemorate the birth of a child while recognising the importance of motherhood.
The one-gram gold ring is currently valued at around INR13,600 based on prevailing gold prices. The state government has allocated INR7.56 billion annually for the implementation of the programme.
A dedicated state project and programme management unit will oversee administration, monitoring and coordination. The rings will be procured through the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC), which will supply them based on yearly requirements submitted by the Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.
Healthcare in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu records approximately 0.78 million deliveries every year, with institutional births accounting for 99.9 percent of all deliveries, according to NFHS-6 data. Government healthcare facilities contribute nearly 4.2 lakh births annually, representing around 53 percent of deliveries in the state.
The government highlighted the difference in childbirth expenses between public and private healthcare facilities. The average out-of-pocket expenditure for a delivery at government hospitals is around INR1,364, compared with INR63,473 in private hospitals.
Officials said the initiative aims to encourage greater use of public maternity services while strengthening access to affordable and quality healthcare for mothers and newborns.
Eligibility rules
The scheme will be available to Tamil Nadu residents whose children are born in government institutions. Pregnant women delivering in government facilities and mothers of newborns can claim benefits by submitting residential documents, including a ration card, voter identity card, Aadhaar, Labour Welfare Board identity card, Department of Posts address card or nativity certificate.
The programme will cover newborns regardless of birth order, allowing mothers with higher-order births to receive benefits without restrictions. The government has also confirmed that the gold rings will be provided without gender discrimination, with both boys and girls eligible under the scheme.