Mission Indradhanush, a programme introduced by the Government of India, is related to which key public health initiative?

Introduction / Context:
Mission Indradhanush is a flagship public health programme launched by the Government of India to strengthen immunization coverage. Exams frequently ask about government schemes, their objectives, and the sector they target. This question focuses on recognising that Mission Indradhanush is directly linked to vaccination, particularly of children and pregnant women, rather than to insurance, agriculture, or fisheries.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The scheme mentioned is Mission Indradhanush, introduced by the Government led by the National Democratic Alliance.
• The options describe various types of welfare and development programmes.
• The task is to identify the sector and specific purpose associated with this mission.

Concept / Approach:
The key idea is to connect the name of the mission with its policy focus. Mission Indradhanush uses the idea of a seven colour rainbow to symbolise immunization against multiple vaccine preventable diseases. The programme aims to increase the proportion of fully immunized children and to reach those who have been missed in routine immunization rounds. Therefore, out of the four options, the one that talks about systematic immunization of children is the correct match.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note the exact wording of the question, which refers to a government programme and asks what sector or purpose it relates to.Step 2: Recall that Mission Indradhanush is linked to the health sector, not crop insurance, fisheries, or cropping patterns.Step 3: Remember that the mission targets children and pregnant women who are either partially immunized or have never received vaccines, with the goal of increasing full immunization coverage.Step 4: Match this description with the options and see that systematic immunization of children against disease fits accurately.

Verification / Alternative check:
Information about Mission Indradhanush in official documents and health ministry releases clearly states that it focuses on improving immunization coverage by conducting special vaccination drives in high risk areas. It does not mention crop insurance, fisheries development, or multiple cropping in hilly regions as its main objective. This confirms that the correct interpretation relates to child immunization.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Providing insurance cover to farmers against crop failure: This describes agricultural risk management schemes, not a health mission like Indradhanush.
Development of fisheries in rural areas: This would fall under schemes related to fisheries and animal husbandry, which are unrelated to the name and purpose of Mission Indradhanush.
Development of multiple cropping in hilly region: This option refers to agricultural practices and land use, which again do not match the medical and vaccination focus of the mission.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes confuse Mission Indradhanush with other colourful names in policy, such as agricultural or financial programmes. Overreliance on guesswork based solely on the name can mislead if one assumes that the word Indradhanush must relate to agriculture or environment. To avoid this, it is important to associate each scheme with its sector and main objective through regular revision of government initiatives and their brief descriptions.

Final Answer:
Mission Indradhanush is related to the systematic immunization of children against disease.