₹756 crore for newborn gold rings: Could Tamil Nadu spend it better on mothers?
- Tamil Nadu’s Thaimaman scheme gives a one-gram gold ring to every baby born in a government hospital, costing about ₹756 crore.
- In an opinion column, economist Dipa Sinha argues the scheme treats support for motherhood as a government gift rather than a woman’s right.
- “Thaimaman” means maternal uncle, referring to a Tamil custom where a mother’s brother gives gifts to her children, which Sinha argues reinforces patriarchal roles.
- She argues the money could instead increase maternity cash benefits, helping compensate women for lost wages and unpaid care work.
Source: thenewsminute.com
Get 100 stories a day on the app
Read, watch & listen · Free on iOS & Android
