Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay will launch the Thaaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam on Monday, a welfare scheme giving a one-gram gold ring to babies born in government hospitals. Vijay will inaugurate the scheme at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai and present rings to 25 newborns.

Each eligible newborn will receive a one-gram, 22-carat gold ring. To qualify, the mother must be a permanent resident of Tamil Nadu and be registered under the PICME system with an RCH ID. The rings carry unique serial numbers and will be handed over in tamper-proof packaging at the time of discharge.

The state government has set an annual outlay of Rs 755.83 crore for the scheme. In the first phase, 1.28 lakh gold rings have been made ready. The launch was originally planned for September 15, the birth anniversary of C N Annadurai, but was postponed because of the Chief Minister’s overseas trip to London.

The scheme will run across the state, except in the Maduranthakam and Dharapuram constituencies where bypolls are due on October 6.

Why it matters: The government says the scheme will build public trust in state-run hospitals and promote safe deliveries in institutional facilities.