In a land where gold is inheritance, Vijay rolls out flagship gold ring scheme

Vijay inaugurated the Thaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam, or Maternal Uncle’s Gold Ring Scheme, at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.

3 min readChennaiUpdated: Sep 29, 2026 06:10 AM IST

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay arrives to launch the 'Thai Maman Thanga Mothiram' (Maternal Uncle's Gold Ring) scheme at Government Rajaji Hospital, in Madurai. (PTI Photo)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday launched a scheme to give a one-gram, 22-carat gold ring to every eligible baby born in a government health institution in the state, rolling out one of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government’s prominent election promises.

Vijay inaugurated the Thaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam, or Maternal Uncle’s Gold Ring Scheme, at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai. The government has earmarked Rs 755.83 crore annually for the programme, estimated to cover about 4.42 lakh deliveries in government health facilities each year.

The scheme applies retrospectively to babies born alive in government hospitals and primary health centres from June 22, Vijay’s birthday. Both boys and girls are eligible. The mother must be a Tamil Nadu resident, registered under the Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation (PICME) system and have a Reproductive and Child Health ID.

Story continues below. Subscribe to see fewer ads.

At the Madurai launch, Vijay presented rings to infants, including three babies seated with their mothers on stage. One recipient, Archana Devi, said she was particularly moved because she had no brothers. “I am extremely happy to receive the gold ring for my daughter,” she said, adding that Vijay had treated her “as a sister.”

Also Read | Vijay breaks bread with school kids as Tamil Nadu expands free breakfast scheme

In South Indian states, especially Tamil Nadu and Kerala, gold occupies a space somewhere between ornament, inheritance and household capital, woven into rituals from birth to marriage. In a part of India that accounts for a disproportionately large share of the country’s gold-jewellery consumption, the region’s vocabulary itself maps that intimacy – from thaali and kaasu maalai for the neck, vanki for the arm, oddiyanam for the waist and jimikki for the ears.

Vijay later visited the hospital’s maternity ward and presented rings to more newborns. At the inaugural function, rings were presented to 27 infants overall.

The programme borrows its name from the Tamil tradition of thaimaaman seer, in which a maternal uncle presents gifts to his sister’s child. The framing has also drawn criticism over what critics describe as its patriarchal symbolism and its presentation of state welfare as a “gift” rather than a right.

Story continues below this ad

The government has procured 1.28 lakh rings in the first phase. Each BIS-hallmarked ring will carry a unique serial number and be supplied in tamper-proof packaging. Work orders have been awarded to Joyalukkas for 70 per cent of the supply and Kalyan Jewellers for the remaining 30 per cent.

Also Read | Another reversal by Vijay government: Revokes RTI exemption for Law and Order department

No separate application is required. Hospital authorities will verify delivery records, PICME registration, RCH ID and the mother’s Tamil Nadu residency before handing over the ring. District-level committees headed by Collectors will oversee implementation, inventory and distribution.

The rollout has been temporarily withheld in Maduranthakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies because of the Model Code of Conduct for the coming byelections.

Arun Janardhanan

Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority. Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews. Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor. Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu. Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More

Tags:
Tamil Nadu
TVK

Loading Recommendations...

Oct 03: Latest News

Live Blog