In Tamil Nadu, 107 high-load Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) centres will have to set up mini-fortress-like storage facilities to guard one-gram gold rings meant for newborns under Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s ‘Thaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam’. Vault-like secure storage facilities will be put in place at all these health facilities to ensure safe custody of the gold rings.

The State Health Secretary has written to the Engineer-in-Chief and Chief Engineer (Buildings), Public Works Department (PWD) to put in place safety enclosures for the storage facilities at these centres. With the scheme all set to be launched on September 15, 2026 PWD has been asked to expedite and complete the works on or before September 5.

The proposed setup includes steel grill enclosures for the steel bureau/storage cupboards, cupboards anchored to the floor and wall and lockable gates to ensure the safe and secure custody of the gold rings. An approved model of the grill layout around the steel cupboard along with specifications has been shared with the PWD.

Under the scheme, a one-gram gold ring will be provided to every eligible newborn born in government health institutions through a network of 107 high-load CEmONC centres.

The Health Secretary listed several measures to ensure the safe custody of the gold rings at these hub institutions. This included a secure, restricted storage room surrounded by buildings on three sides, sealed windows and a cupboard firmly anchored to the floor and wall using cement/concrete. The cupboard is also to be enclosed with metal grills on three sides, while the storage room should not open into an isolated or easily accessible area and its door may also be grilled.

Listing out technical specifications, the communication said the safety enclosure for the steel bureau/storage cupboard should be made using mild steel square rods. The enclosure will cover the top and two sides, while the front will have an openable mild steel grill gate. The structure will be securely fixed using mild steel flats, with proper welding and finishing. The cupboard will also be anchored to a reinforced cement concrete bed to ensure stability.

In line with this, the official requested the PWD to fix the mild steel grill gate around the storage cupboard at all 107 institutions as per the approved design and specifications. The work may be taken up on priority basis and completed at the earliest to ensure safe and secure custody of the gold rings and facilitate uninterrupted implementation of the scheme in all the designated hubs.

The Health Secretary requested the PWD official to issue necessary instructions to all district-level PWD engineers/divisional engineers to coordinate with the respective medical college hospitals, district headquarters hospitals and sub-district hospitals and complete the work expeditiously on or before September 5.