Henan province in central China is encouraging college graduates to work in villages in an effort to boost the development of rural areas.

The provincial authorities have decided that each of its villages will have at least one college graduate in next three to five years.

Statistics show that among the current more than 48,000 branch secretaries of the Communist Party of China in Henan's villages, only less than 10 percent have received college education.

Officials with the provincial personnel department said government employees under 35 with college education and college graduates will be recruited to serve as village cadres.

On their village posts, government employees can keep their original salaries and get new payments for village cadres, and college graduates who have had no employment experience will get allowances from the government in addition to their village post salaries.

Such recruits are required to work at village posts for at least three years. After the term expires, they may continue to work at the posts, or return to their previous jobs in government agencies or find new jobs.

Source: Xinhua