Kolkata, Feb 11 (IANS) The rural development ministry Thursday joined hands with the Institute of Computer Accountants (ICA) for a Rs.45 crore training project meant to enable over 22,000 poor youth get jobs.

Announcing the project, Vimal Kishore, a senior official of the consultancy service wing of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), said: "The job oriented programme will enable 22,000 BPL (below poverty line) youths to get a job."

"Placement is the means as well as ends of the programme. We will have the jobs first and then we will train the youths accordingly," he added.

Elaborating on the scheme, N.K.Shyamsukha of ICA said: "The aims of the initiative are to give opportunity to poor youth to get training and employment and upgrade their skill set."

"The three-month long, eight hours a day training programme will enable the youths to get jobs like data entry operators, accountants etc," he added Shyamsukha

The programme is a part of the Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), a comprehensive programme for promoting self-employment among rural poor by providing financial assistance, training, selection of key activities, infrastructure build up, technology and marketing support.