Published Aug 22, 2026 | 2:20 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 22, 2026 | 2:20 PM
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is the Thai Maaman the scheme refers to.
The Tamil Nadu government has issued a clarification on the tender process for its ‘Thai Maman Thanga Modhiram’ (Maternal Uncle’s Gold Ring) scheme, amid a political controversy over the unusually low add-on charges quoted by the initial lowest bidder.
Under the scheme, the government plans to honour every child born in government hospitals in Tamil Nadu, along with the mother, by presenting a one-gram gold ring. The scheme will cover children born in government hospitals from June 22, 2026.
Following a government order for the distribution of 4,41,667 one-gram gold rings, the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation invited tenders on July 14, 2026 through the TN Tenders portal. A total of 11 companies participated in the tender process and submitted their price bids.
According to the government, M/s Joyalukkas emerged as the lowest bidder. Apart from the prevailing price of one gram of gold, the company quoted just ₹0.01 towards all additional charges, including making charges, insurance, transportation and BIS hallmarking.
The government said that, in accordance with the Tamil Nadu Transparency in Tenders Act and Rules, the other 10 participating companies were asked whether they were willing to match the lowest bid quoted by Joyalukkas.
Of the 10 companies, M/s Kalyan Jewellers alone agreed to match the quoted price.
As the scheme is scheduled to be launched on September 15, 2026, the birth anniversary of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister CN Annadurai, work orders have been issued to Joyalukkas and Kalyan Jewellers in a 70:30 ratio to supply 1,28,499 gold rings to cover beneficiaries from June 22 to late October.
The government said the scheme is aimed at strengthening public confidence in government healthcare services and commemorating the birth of children in government hospitals, while celebrating the joy and significance of motherhood.
The unusually low add-on charges quoted by Joyalukkas for the scheme had earlier triggered a political controversy.
Joyalukkas’ ₹0.01 quote for all additional charges drew attention because some other bidders reportedly quoted making charges of more than ₹400.
Speculation also mounted over the alleged connection between Joyalukkas and Jos Alukkas. Social media posts pointed out that Chief Minister Vijay had appeared in advertisements as the brand ambassador for Jos Alukkas. While both chains trace their origins to Alukka Joseph Varghese, they have always been separate entities.
Opposition voices and political commentators had questioned whether the tender process was transparent and whether the government sought a matching quote from Titan, in which the Tamil Nadu government is a major shareholder.
Many also wondered whether a government-linked company such as Titan could have been considered for executing the order instead of awarding it to a private company.
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(With inputs from Subash Chandra Bose.)
