Chief Minister Vijay launches Thaimaaman gold ring scheme

CHENNAI: Fulfilling one of the electoral promises of gifting a one-gram gold ring to all newborn babies delivered in Tamil Nadu’s government hospitals on or after June 22, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday launched the Thaimaaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam at the Government Rajaji Hospital by presenting one-gram gold rings to 37 newborns.

Dressed in traditional attire — a white veshti and shirt — Vijay carefully put the rings on three babies on the stage in the presence of their mothers.

When Archana Devi (24) of Anaiyur in Madurai arrived with her baby girl, Muthu Yalini, to receive the ring, Vijay asked her to sit in his chair. He then sat beside her, carefully placed the ring on the baby’s finger, took the child in his arms, and blessed her.

She was followed by Sikandra, who arrived with her baby boy, Mohammed Sainsha, and Stella Mary, who came with her baby boy. “He accepted my request and named our baby Jonel, repeating the name three times in the baby’s ear, as per our tradition,” said Stella.

Vijay then came down from the stage and presented rings to the 24 parents, who were seated along with their babies in the auditorium.

When some parents requested him to either place the rings on their babies or name their babies, Vijay readily obliged. He also took selfies with them and shook hands with the mothers at their request.

The chief minister later proceeded to the Integrated Child Development Ward, where he presented gold rings to 10 babies and shared lighter moments with their parents.

Starting today, nearly 1.07 lakh children born in government hospitals between June 22 and September 27 will be provided with gold rings through 102 hubs across the district, except in Chengalpattu and Tirupur where the assembly bypolls are scheduled. Parents were given identification cards mentioning the date and location for collecting the gold ring, according to an official release.

For children born from September 28, the ring will be provided at the respective hospitals when they are discharged and return home.

The scheme is intended to encourage safe deliveries in government hospitals and further strengthen maternal and child healthcare. It also aims to transform government hospitals into places where motherhood can be celebrated with pride and happiness, while complementing the maternity assistance and nutrition kits already being provided, the release added.

Several ministers, MPs, MLAs, the Chief Secretary, senior Health Department officials, the Madurai District Collector and other senior government officials participated in the launch ceremony.

Later in the day, near Teppakulam, Vijay spotted a child dressed as Goddess Meenakshi. He asked his security personnel to bring the child to him, held her hand and wished her.

When his convoy reached the GRH, Vijay got down from his vehicle and walked towards the venue amid cheers. He stopped at a few places to greet people and hospital staff and also posed for selfies with some of them.

Nurses and paramedical staff stationed at various points were seen taking pictures of Vijay on their mobile phones and cheering as he passed.