Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday (September 28) launched the much-awaited Thaimaaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam under which newborns at government hospitals across the State will each receive a on…

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday (September 28) launched the much-awaited Thaimaaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam under which newborns at government hospitals across the State will each receive a one-gram, 22-carat gold ring. The scheme, one of the key promises made by Vijay as leader of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly polls, was launched by the Chief Minister at the Government Rajaji General Hospital in Madurai. Here is an explainer on the scheme, the financial outlay, implementation, and what it intends to achieve.How did the scheme get the name and the rationale behind it?’Thaimaaman’ translates to maternal uncle. In Tamil culture, the Thaimaaman holds a special position, caring for and supporting his sister’s children. In many households, Thaimaaman gifts gold ornaments to his sister’s newborn children.In the run-up to the elections, Vijay projected himself as the brother of women in Tamil Nadu and promised to care for their children as Thaimaaman.As part of his election promises, Vijay declared that his government would present a gold ring to children born in the State. Beyond politics, the scheme carries a deep emotional value in Tamil households, where gold is viewed as a symbol of security.Explained | The evolution of free meal scheme for school students in Tamil NaduHow will the scheme be implemented? Children born on or after June 22, 2026 (the Chief Minister’s birthday) in government institutions across the State will be eligible to get the one-gram ring. In the first phase, the government has allocated Rs 755.83 crore for the scheme, which will benefit 1.28 lakh infants born after June 22, 2026. Government data says around 7.8 lakh children are born in Tamil Nadu every year and of these, 4.2 lakh deliveries take place in government institutions. In other words, 53% of the deliveries in Tamil Nadu annually take place in government hospitals. The rings will carry unique serial numbers and be distributed in tamper-proof packaging at the time of discharge from the hospital.The beneficiaries should have been registered under the Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation (PICME) system and have a Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) ID.What is Vijay’s gold ring scheme really buying?How are the gold rings procured? The TVK government has mandated the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation, which is tasked with procuring medicines for government medical institutions, to buy the gold. The TNMSC floated a tender for buying 1.28 lakh gold rings and two companies — Joyalukaas and Kalyan Jewellers — emerged winners of the bid, in a 70:30 ratio. The two companies agreed to supply the gold rings as per the quoted price. Joyalukaas quoted a symbolic service charge of just 1 paisa above the prevailing gold rate. The cost of the gold will be borne by the Government of Tamil Nadu at the prevailing market rate.The government asking the TNMSC to buy gold rings led to a row, with political parties and activists questioning the move since the government agency was launched only for procuring medicines. However, the government defended the move saying the TNMSC’s involvement only makes the scheme more transparent since it is a government-owned agency.What is the motive of the scheme and how will the scheme be monitored? Apart from fulfilling a key promise, the government feels the scheme will enhance people’s trust in government hospitals and promote safe delivery practices in hospitals. The government also believes more people would come to government institutions for childbirth. Almost 99% of babies in Tamil Nadu are born through institutional deliveries. The government has constituted a specialised monitoring committee at the district-level headed by Collectors to oversee the implementation of the scheme, inventory tracking and transparency in distribution.Why are many doctors and activists opposing the scheme?Many doctors acknowledge the traditional sentiments behind gifting a gold ring but red-flag allotting such a huge amount of money on ornaments rather than supporting the infants and their parents in different ways. The doctors urge the government to redirect these resources to upgrade existing healthcare infrastructure, resolve hospital staffing shortages, and improve basic maternal and child nutrition programmes.

Source: Deccan Herald