The Jorhat district administration today called a meeting to prepare the roadmap for the implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme here. The scheme, which came into effect from April 1, entails the provision of employment for at least 100 days to every needy rural household in a fiscal year. In the current phase, NREGA will be executed in 14 districts of Asom. The meeting was attended by representatives of a host of institutions and departments including Assam Agricultural University, Tea Research Association, Water Resources Department, Soil Conservation and Public Works Department. AAU was represented by its Registrar, Krishna Gohain. The district committee for NREGA was formed at the end of the meeting. A core committee, which is to be constituted later, will work out the detailed project report after studying the five-year perspectives (2008-2013) prepared by various departments and institutions. Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Ms LS Changsan, who presided over the meeting, stressed the need for economic uplift of the needy through the scheme. Briefing The Sentinel later, Ms Changsan said that the departments and institutions have been asked to prepare the five-year perspectives to chalk out the details for the implementation of NREGA. Job cards will be provided through the blocks in the district, she added. The Deputy Commissioner pointed out that the Block Development Officer would coordinate with the respective panchayats for the approval of projects under NREGA. As part of the groundwork for the execution of NREGA, awareness programmes are being held in different blocks, Ms Changsan said. Gainful avenues of employment are being identified in various sectors like water harvesting, forestry and construction, she added. The Jorhat Deputy Commissioner later chaired another subdivision relief committee meeting to discuss the preparedness of various government departments to tackle floods and other natural disasters in the rainy season at hand. Heads of key departments like Embankment and Drainage, Agriculture and PWD attended the meeting. Ms Changsan directed the departmental heads to make nodal plans for disaster management and also made a case for a strict watch over the embankments and dykes.