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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday, September 28, launched the ‘Thaimaaman Thanga Mothiram’ (Maternal Uncle’s Gold Ring) scheme at the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai. Under the scheme, eligible newborns will receive a one-gram, 22-carat gold ring, if they are born in government hospitals or primary health centres in the state. The scheme covers babies born from June 22, 2026, onwards. The Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) government has earmarked nearly Rs 755 crores towards this scheme.
The scheme is being implemented across Tamil Nadu, with its rollout excluded temporarily in Maduranthakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies due to the Model Code of Conduct for the upcoming bye-polls. The government has procured 1.28 lakh rings in the first phase, with each ring carrying a unique serial number and supplied in tamper-proof packaging.
The scheme aims to provide a one-gram gold ring to newborn babies delivered in Tamil Nadu’s government health institutions. The government has said the initiative is intended to celebrate childbirth, encourage deliveries in government hospitals and strengthen public confidence in government healthcare institutions. According to the Tamil Nadu government, the rings will be provided to babies born alive in government hospitals and primary health centres from June 22, 2026.
The scheme draws on the Tamil cultural tradition of Thaaimaman Seer, referring to gifts traditionally given by a maternal uncle to his sister’s child. The scheme has also been criticised for the patriarchal connotation and the message that reinforces patriarchal norms in various ways. Further, it is also projected as a ‘gift’ from the state and not a right or welfare.
Jewellery retailers Joyalukkas and Kalyan Jewellers have been awarded work orders to supply these rings, with Joyalukkas getting 70% of the order and Kalyan Jewellers the remaining 30%.
Who is eligible?
All newborns delivered in government health institutions in Tamil Nadu from June 22, 2026, are eligible for the scheme, subject to the prescribed conditions. The mother must be a resident of Tamil Nadu and must be registered under the state’s Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation (PICME) system and have a Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) ID.
The scheme covers both boys and girls. Babies born in private hospitals are not eligible, as the benefit is specifically linked to deliveries in government-run health institutions.
Eligible beneficiaries do not have to submit a separate application for the scheme. The health institution where the delivery takes place will verify the delivery records, PICME registration, RCH ID and other eligibility requirements before the benefit is provided.
Pregnant women are required to register under the PICME system and obtain a Reproductive and Child Health Identity card. Following delivery, the hospital authorities will verify the relevant records and documents before issuing the ring. For babies born after the scheme's rollout, the ring will be distributed through the respective government hospital or health institution where the delivery takes place.
For the initial distribution, the district administration has made arrangements at designated centres to prevent overcrowding. Beneficiaries will be informed of their allotted date and time through invitations distributed by Village Health Nurses and have been instructed to visit the designated centres only at the time mentioned in the invitation.
Beneficiaries need to provide their PICME registration number and RCH ID, along with hospital discharge or delivery records. They must also provide proof that the mother is a resident of Tamil Nadu. An Aadhaar card, ration card, voter ID, Labour Welfare Board identity card, Proof of Address Card issued by the Department of Posts or a nativity certificate can be used for this purpose, subject to the prescribed verification requirements.
The district administration has also made transportation arrangements for beneficiaries from their respective areas. Special arrangements have been made at distribution centres to ensure that beneficiaries can collect the rings without overcrowding.
According to the state government order issued in June, Rs 755.83 crore has been earmarked annually for implementing the scheme. The estimate is based on providing the benefit for about 4.42 lakh deliveries in government health facilities each year.
Tamil Nadu records around 7.8 lakh deliveries annually, according to figures cited by the state government. Government health facilities account for roughly 4.2 lakh, or about 53%, of these deliveries. In the first phase, the government has procured 1.28 lakh gold rings for eligible newborns.
