Which of the following was the main objective of 'Swachh Bharat Mission' when it was launched on October 2, 2… - NHM UP Staff Nurse-2023 Shift-2nd

NHM UP Staff Nurse-2023 Shift-2nd

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse-2023 Shift-2nd

Explanation

The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) was launched on October 2, 2014, with the primary and most prominent goal of making India Open Defecation Free (ODF).
The mission's target was to achieve a 'Clean India' by October 2, 2019, coinciding with the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Its core strategy involved mass construction of toilets (around 12 million in rural India) and intensive Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns to encourage a shift in behavior towards using toilets and ending open defecation.

Option B: While plastic waste management is an important aspect of cleanliness, a major nationwide push against single-use plastics became a priority later, not at the initial launch of SBM in 2014.
Option C: Infection control in hospitals was addressed by the 'Kayakalp' award scheme, which was launched as a complementary initiative under SBM. It was a specific component for healthcare facilities, not the main objective of the entire national mission.
Option D: Biomedical waste management is a critical but specialized area governed by separate, stringent environmental rules. It was not the primary, mass-scale objective of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Primary objective of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) at its launch as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Improved sanitation through missions like SBM directly reduces the incidence of waterborne and fecal-oral diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea, which is a major public health achievement.
Community health nurses are frontline workers in such missions, responsible for conducting awareness campaigns (IEC activities) to promote toilet usage, hand hygiene, and safe sanitation practices.
What if the question asked about the objective of SBM Phase II? The answer would shift to 'sustaining the ODF status and implementing solid and liquid waste management (ODF-Plus)', which focuses on the next level of cleanliness beyond just toilet access.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'Swachh Bharat Mission', 'main objective', and the launch date 'October 2, 2014'. The date is a crucial anchor.
This is a factual recall question about a major national program. Access your knowledge about India's public health and sanitation initiatives.
Evaluate each option. The mission's name 'Swachh Bharat' (Clean India) is broad, but its initial, most publicized goal was very specific and ambitious.
Recall that the most significant and immediate aim was the elimination of open defecation, a major public health hazard. This makes it the strongest candidate for the 'main objective'.
Consider the other options. While related to cleanliness, plastic usage, hospital infection control, and biomedical waste are more specific sub-topics or became priorities in later phases. The main objective at launch was the foundational goal of making the country ODF.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Primary objective of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) at its launch.
Stem keywords: Swachh Bharat Mission, main objective, October 2, 2014
Lead-in keywords: main objective
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 168-170