The correct answer is: Reducing maternal and infant mortality.
The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is a government program in India that aims to improve the health of rural populations. One of the key focuses of the NRHM in Maharashtra has been to reduce maternal and infant mortality. The NRHM has implemented a number of initiatives to achieve this goal, including:
- Expanding access to antenatal care and delivery services
- Providing training to health workers on maternal and newborn care
- Promoting institutional delivery
- Providing financial assistance to pregnant women and families with young children
As a result of these initiatives, maternal and infant mortality rates in Maharashtra have declined significantly. In 2005, the maternal mortality rate was 250 per 100,000 live births. By 2015, this rate had declined to 130 per 100,000 live births. The infant mortality rate has also declined significantly, from 60 per 1,000 live births in 2005 to 34 per 1,000 live births in 2015.
The NRHM’s efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality have had a significant impact on the health of women and children in Maharashtra. These efforts have helped to save lives and improve the quality of life for many families.
The other options are also important goals of the NRHM, but they have not been as central to the mission as reducing maternal and infant mortality. Controlling vector-borne diseases, expanding primary healthcare infrastructure, and promoting sanitation and hygiene are all important for improving the health of rural populations, but they have not had as significant an impact on the health of women and children as reducing maternal and infant mortality.