Kabul, Nov 18 (IANS): The government of Afghanistan has launched a national programme to create job opportunities and improve the impoverished economy of the militancy-hit country, a statement by presidential palace said on Wednesday.

The "National Employment Programme" was launched on Tuesday, Xinhua quoted the statement as saying.

"The aim of the programme is to provide jobs, reduce unemployment and create new jobs and occupation for the people," the statement added.

Based on the National Employment Programme, the government will build 17 water dams in 17 of the country's 34 provinces within 18 months, which will create 25,000 jobs, the statement said.

The programme 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 programme."

The statement came as the country faces 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 neighbouring countries and Europe.