Step 1: Moment of inertia of a uniform rod.
The moment of inertia of a uniform rod about an axis passing through its center and perpendicular to its length is given by the formula:
\[
I = \frac{1}{12} m L^2
\]
where \( m \) is the mass of the rod and \( L \) is its length.
Step 2: Adjust for the rod’s mass per unit length.
The mass per unit length of the rod is \( m \), and its total mass is \( M = m \times 2L = 2mL \). The moment of inertia is then given by:
\[
I = \frac{1}{12} \times 2mL \times L^2 = \frac{2mL^3}{3}
\]
Step 3: Conclusion.
Thus, the moment of inertia of the rod is \( \frac{2mL^3}{3} \), which corresponds to option (C).