IRDP launched on October 2nd. 1980 all over the Country and accordingly all the 15 Blocks of Boudh- Kandhamal district have been covered under the Scheme. Since then, prior the above period, IRDP was in operation in 8 blocks of the district since 1978-79. The I.R.D.P. continues to be a major poverty alleviation programme in the field of Rural Development. The objective of I.R.D.P. is to enable identified rural poor families to cross the poverty line by providing productive assets and inputs to the target groups. The assets which could be in primary, secondary or tertiary sector are provided through financial assistance in the form of subsidy by the Govt. and term credit advanced by financial institutions. The programme is implemented in all the blocks in the country as a centrally sponsored scheme funded on 50:50 basis by the Centre and State. The Scheme is merged with another scheme named S.G.S.Y. since 01.04.1999.