Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP)

- The Integrated Rural Development Programme was initially launched in 2300 blocks but was extended all over the country, as a major poverty eradicating programme, on 2nd October, 1980.
- At present this programme is not in existence because IRDP with five other schemes (TRYSEM, DWCRA, Ganga Kalyan Yojana, SITRA and MWS) has been merged in newly introduced scheme namely Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana
w.e.f. April 1, 1999.
- The main objective of this programme was to make the rural poor families economically independent so that they are
able to cross the poverty line.
- In order to achieve this objective, the targeted groups were given productive assets for promoting self-employment.
- These assets were acquired by means of financial support. This financial support was given through the subsidies provided by the Government and in the form of periodical loans given by the financial institutions (Commercial Banks,
Cooperative Banks and Regional Rural Banks etc.).
- This programme was financially nurtured in 50 : 50 ratio by the Centre and the State Governments.