Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is set to launch a new one-gram gold ring scheme for babies born in government hospitals on September 28, according to an announcement by the state government.
Under the scheme, eligible newborns delivered at state-run hospitals will receive one-gram gold rings. The government has procured 1.28 lakh rings for distribution during the first phase of the programme.
Each ring will have a unique serial number and will be provided in tamper-proof packaging. According to the state government, beneficiaries must be permanent residents of Tamil Nadu to qualify for the initiative.
The scheme is among a series of welfare measures being implemented by the state government. Officials are expected to provide further details about the distribution process and beneficiary verification as the launch date approaches.
Meanwhile, another major programme—the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme—is also being expanded. The initiative, which provides breakfast to school students, will now cover students studying in Classes VI to VIII.
The expansion is expected to benefit around 15.30 lakh additional students studying in 15,454 government and government-aided schools across Tamil Nadu. The programme is aimed at improving students’ nutrition and ensuring that children begin their school day with a healthy meal.
The state government has allocated an additional ₹217.63 crore for the breakfast programme during the current financial year. Following the expansion, the total budget for the scheme has increased to ₹724 crore.
The decision to expand the programme was taken at a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vijay at the state Secretariat. The formal launch is expected to take place at a government-aided school in Tiruvanmiyur on September 22.
The expanded breakfast programme was originally scheduled to begin on September 17 but was postponed because of the Chief Minister’s official investment visit to London.
However, the programme will not be introduced in Chengalpattu and Tiruppur districts for the time being. The Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct is currently in force in these areas because of the October 6 bypolls in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies.
The restrictions mean that certain government initiatives cannot be launched or expanded in the affected constituencies during the election period.
The one-gram gold ring scheme and the expanded breakfast programme are therefore being rolled out with separate timelines. While the gold ring scheme is scheduled for September 28, the breakfast programme expansion is set to begin on September 22 in areas where election-related restrictions do not apply.
The government’s decision to use unique serial numbers and tamper-proof packaging for the gold rings is intended to help maintain accountability in the distribution process.
Further details about the beneficiaries, distribution arrangements and implementation of the newborn gold ring scheme are expected to emerge ahead of the September 28 launch.
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