Bhubaneswar: The All-Odisha Contractors’ Welfare Association (AOCWA) on Tuesday urged the state government to honour the assurances given to contractors during their February agitation, even as the organisation elected a new executive committee for a three-year term.
The AOCWA held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2026 at the Institution of Engineers, Bhubaneswar, drawing participation from contractors across Odisha, MLAs, legal experts, media persons, and other stakeholders. The meeting centred on long-pending issues affecting the contractor community, including delayed payments, tender policy reforms, infrastructure quality, and steps to strengthen the association.
New Leadership Elected
Jagadish Patra was elected President, with Anshul Patel as Vice President, Bibhuti Bhusan Jena as General Secretary, and Asoka Kumar Tarai as Treasurer. Debasish Dash, Jyoti Ranjan Behera, Susant Kumar Nayak, and Sanjaya Kumar Jena were named Joint Secretaries, while Anup Kumar Panda, Jayant Kumar Swain, Bapina Kumar Santi, Saubhagya Mohapatra, Manoj Kumar Nayak, and Kapil Chhapola will serve as Executive Members.
The new team resolved to focus on contractor welfare, policy advocacy, promotion of quality infrastructure, and expanding AOCWA’s presence throughout the state.
Government Yet to Act on Assurances
Addressing the gathering, Patra expressed disappointment that the government had not yet issued formal notifications on key demands despite repeated assurances. He recalled that the association had called off its strike and agitation in good faith after the administration promised positive action to resolve the contractors’ grievances for the benefit of Odisha’s infrastructure sector.
“Even after several months, the contractor community continues to face uncertainty and hardship,” Patra said, appealing to the MLAs and public representatives present to intervene and ensure early fulfilment of the commitments.
The AGM was attended by several MLAs — Irasis Acharya, Ramesh Chandra Jena, and Babu Singh — along with Priyadarshi Mishra and Jagannath Pradhan, who assured their support in addressing the genuine concerns of contractors and advancing the state’s infrastructure goals.
Wide-Ranging Discussions
In the second session, experts including former WATCO CEO P K Swain, High Court advocate Prabodha Chandra Nayak, Group Editor Sandeep Mishra, senior contractor Dilip Patel, and entrepreneur Sakyasingha Mahapatra shared perspectives on governance, transparency, contractor protection, and sustainable development.
During an open house session, contractors from various districts raised pressing concerns such as:
>> Long-pending bill payments
>> Need for tender policy reforms to curb irrational under-quoting
>> Severe financial stress and operational challenges
>> Legal and administrative hurdles
>> Greater transparency and protection for contractors
>> Emphasis on quality infrastructure and public accountability
>> Stronger stakeholder consultation in policy formulation
The association assured full support to genuine grievances brought before it.
Upcoming Conclave
AOCWA also announced that it will organise the Annual “Odisha Infrastructure Conclave” next month. The event is expected to bring together policymakers, administrators, industry leaders, contractors, and engineers to discuss the future of infrastructure development and foster constructive dialogue between the government and the sector.
