Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay will launch the state's one-gram gold ring scheme for babies born in government hospitals on September 28, with 1.28 lakh gold rings already procured for distribution under the first installment, the state government announced on Friday.
The scheme, called the Thaimaaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam (maternal uncle gold ring scheme), was among the poll promises made by Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam ahead of the April Assembly election, in which the party came to power.
The gold ring will carry a unique serial number and come in tamper-proof packaging.
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The scheme has been in effect retrospectively since June 22, Vijay's birthday, meaning babies born in government hospitals from that date onward are covered under the first phase. The Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation has procured the rings through Joyalukkas and Kalyan Jewellers in a 70:30 supply ratio.
The state government has made an annual budgetary provision of Rs 755.83 crore to supply 4.41 lakh one-gram, 22-carat gold rings over the full year, of which the first batch of 1.28 lakh rings has been readied for the September 28 rollout.
To avail the scheme, beneficiaries must be permanent residents of Tamil Nadu, the government added. The launch was originally scheduled for September 15, coinciding with the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister C N Annadurai, but was deferred amid the Chief Minister's official visit abroad.
(With inputs from PTI)
