Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay inaugurated the initiative Monday, under which eligible babies will receive a one-gram gold ring, according to the state’s Information Department, Anadolu Agency reported.
The scheme is intended to honor motherhood, promote women’s health and encourage more families to choose government hospitals for childbirth, the Press Trust of India reported.
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The initiative was among the election promises of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party, which came to power in Tamil Nadu earlier this year.
The state government has procured about 128,000 gold rings for the initial rollout. Babies born at government hospitals on or after June 22, 2026, are eligible to receive the rings.
Tamil Nadu, one of India’s most populous states, had about 72.15 million residents according to the 2011 census. The state recorded nearly 45,000 fewer births in 2025 than in the previous year.
India has a population of more than 1.4 billion and is the world’s most populous country.
