Cuddalore begins block-wise distribution of gold rings for newborns
Tamil Nadu's one-gram gold ring scheme for newborns reached Cuddalore on Monday, with 3,120 babies to be covered in phases across four hospitals.
The distribution of one-gram gold rings to newborns under the Thaimaaman Thanga Modhiram scheme began in Cuddalore on Monday, with Minister for Housing and Urban Development B. Rajkumar launching the programme at the Cuddalore Government Headquarters Hospital.
The initiative follows Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's inauguration of the scheme at the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai. Speaking at the Cuddalore event, Mr. Rajkumar said the aim was to encourage institutional deliveries in government hospitals and to reinforce public confidence in government healthcare facilities.
In Cuddalore district, 3,120 babies born between June 22 and September 25 will receive the rings in a phased manner at four hospitals. Infants born from September 26 onwards will be handed the rings at their respective hospitals.
The largest group — 1,327 babies from the Cuddalore, Annagramam, Kurinjipadi and Panruti blocks — will be covered at the Cuddalore Government Headquarters Hospital. Another 543 newborns from the Bhuvanagiri, Keerapalayam and Parangipettai blocks will receive the benefit at the Government Cuddalore Medical College Hospital.
At the Chidambaram Government Hospital, 493 infants from the Kattumannarkoil and Kumaratchi blocks are to be covered, while 757 beneficiaries from the Vriddhachalam, Kammapuram, Mangalur and Nallur blocks will receive the rings at the Vriddhachalam Government Hospital.
Distribution will be held block-wise between September 28 and October 14. To avoid overcrowding, each centre will run two fixed sessions a day, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., with a cap of 25 beneficiaries per session, or 50 per centre per day.
To claim the benefit, mothers must produce any one of six prescribed Tamil Nadu residency and identity proofs: an e-KYC-verified Aadhaar card, a residency certificate, a voter ID card, a family card (ration card), an identity card issued by the Labour Welfare Board, or an address certificate issued by the Postal department.
Collector Sibi Adhithya Senthil Kumar was present at the launch.