Afghan gov't launches national program to create job opportunities
Xinhua, November 18, 2015 Adjust font size:
The government of Afghanistan has launched a national program to create job opportunities and improve the impoverish economy of the militancy-hit country, according to a statement released by Afghan Presidential Palace on Wednesday.
The program, which called "National Employment Program" was launched on Tuesday, according to the statement.
"The aim of the National Employment Program is to provide jobs, reduce the number of unemployment and create new jobs and occupation for the people," the statement added.
Based on the National Employment Program, the government would build 17 water dams in 17 of the country's 34 provinces within 18 months which will create 25,000 jobs, according to the statement.
The program will also focus on building roads in the countryside. "In the first phase, about 4,700 villages and by spring next year 15,000 villages will be covered by the program."
The statement came as the country is facing a severe unemployment problem.
Some 36 percent of Afghanistan's 30 million people are living under the poverty level and thousands of Afghans particularly the working force of youth travel abroad monthly to seek jobs, especially in the neighboring countries and Europe. Enditem