In the Integrated Rural Development Programme known by the abbreviation IRDP, what does the letter I stand for?

Introduction / Context:
India has implemented several anti poverty and rural development schemes over the years, many of which are known by their abbreviations. IRDP is one such scheme that appears frequently in examinations on Indian economy and rural development. The question checks whether you know the correct expansion of the letter I in IRDP, which is important for understanding the full name and nature of the programme.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The scheme is commonly abbreviated as IRDP.
• The programme is related to rural development and poverty alleviation.
• The options suggest different possible expansions of the letter I such as Integrated, Indian, Insurance and Internal.
• We assume the standard government name of the scheme used in official documents.

Concept / Approach:
IRDP stands for Integrated Rural Development Programme. This scheme was designed to provide income generating assets and credit support to rural households below the poverty line, integrating various sectoral efforts such as agriculture, animal husbandry and small industry in a coordinated manner. The word Integrated is key to understanding the scheme, as it indicates that support from different departments and agencies is combined to help the rural poor. Therefore, the letter I in IRDP clearly stands for Integrated, not Indian, Insurance or Internal.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the full name of IRDP from your study of Indian rural development programmes.Step 2: Recognise that IRDP is expanded as Integrated Rural Development Programme in official material.Step 3: Match this expansion with the options given and identify that only the word Integrated fits correctly.Step 4: Select Integrated as the correct expansion of the letter I in IRDP.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by recalling similar abbreviations for development schemes. For example, many Indian schemes begin with Integrated to show that they combine multiple components, such as Integrated Child Development Services. IRDP follows this same pattern by focusing on integrated support for rural development. Textbooks and government reports consistently refer to it as the Integrated Rural Development Programme, which confirms that I stands for Integrated.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B, Indian, is wrong because the full name is not Indian Rural Development Programme. Option C, Insurance, is incorrect because IRDP is not primarily an insurance scheme; it is about asset creation and credit for rural households. Option D, Internal, has no connection with the official name or purpose of the programme. Only option A correctly identifies Integrated as the first word in the full name of IRDP.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to guess Indian whenever a scheme abbreviation begins with I, because the scheme relates to India. However, many programme names begin with other words such as Integrated, International or Inclusive. Relying only on guesswork can lead to wrong answers. It is better to memorise the full forms of key abbreviations like IRDP, ICDS, MGNREGA and so on. This will help you quickly recall the correct word in the exam without confusion.

Final Answer:
In IRDP, the letter I stands for Integrated, as the full name is Integrated Rural Development Programme.