The IRDP is the most important programme that falls in the category of self-employment programmes. It is the single largest anti-poverty programme currently underway in all the community development blocks in the country.It was launched in 1978-79 in 2,300 selected blocks in the country and was extended to all the blocks in the country with effect from 2 October 1980.It aims at providing income generating assets and self-employment opportunities to the rural poor to enable them to rise above the poverty line once and for ever.The IRDP in effect seeks to redistribute assets and employment opportunities in favour of the rural poor and thereby reduce income inequality.It is a centrally sponsored scheme and is funded on 50:50 basis by the centre and the states.The IRDP beneficiaries are assisted through viable bankable projects which are financed partly by subsidy and partly by bank loans.The subsidies are provided at differential rates ranging from 25 per cent to 50 per cent of the capital cost of the scheme,subject to a maximum of Rs 5000 in drought-prone area programmes (DPAP) areas and Rs 4000 in non-DPAP areas;for a Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe(SC/ST) or disabled beneficiary the limit is Rs 6000