The Integrated Rural Development Program (IRDP) was launched in 1978 with the aim of providing employment opportunities and improving living conditions for rural families below the poverty line. It provides subsidies and loans to target groups for self-employment opportunities. Beneficiaries include small farmers, laborers, artisans, and scheduled castes/tribes with annual incomes below Rs. 11,000. The program is implemented through District Rural Development Agencies at the district level and block staff at local levels, with oversight from state and central government bodies. It aims to empower the rural poor through livelihood generation and linking beneficiaries to other government schemes.