OWSSB clears major reforms to boost employee welfare, governance and financial autonomy

Bhubaneswar: In a move aimed at strengthening institutional governance and improving employee welfare, the Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board (OWSSB) on Friday approved a slew of long-pending service, financial and administrative reforms. The decisions were taken at the 28th Board Meeting held at Unnati Bhawan under the chairmanship of Housing and Urban Development Minister and OWSSB Chairperson Dr Krushna Chandra Mohapatra.

A key highlight of the meeting was the approval of promotional parity for engineers of the OWSSB cadre with their counterparts in the Public Health Engineering (PHE) cadre under the Housing and Urban Development Department. The decision is expected to resolve long-standing career progression issues faced by Assistant Project Engineers and provide them with a structured promotional pathway.

As part of cadre restructuring, the Board approved the re-designation of Deputy Project Engineers (DPEs) in the rank of Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) as Additional Project Engineers. The new post will be filled through promotion from eligible DPEs, limited to 40 per cent of the sanctioned strength, ensuring transparent and merit-based advancement.

Addressing the Board, Dr Mohapatra said engineers are central to the delivery of urban water supply and sewerage services. “Ensuring service parity and fair promotional avenues will not only boost morale but also strengthen institutional efficiency,” he said.

In a significant welfare measure, the Board sanctioned a special incentive of ₹200 per day for Daily Labour Roll (DLR) workers engaged by OWSSB. It also approved gratuity benefits for DLR workers disengaged on attaining 60 years of age, offering them financial security after years of service.

The Board further resolved that funds and revenue generated from OWSSB’s own sources will be utilised exclusively for implementing its action plan, a step expected to enhance financial autonomy, improve resource utilisation and accelerate project execution.

To streamline administrative functioning, the Engineer-in-Chief, OWSSB, will now act as the Member Secretary of the Board, enabling faster decision-making and better coordination. Additionally, a permanent sub-committee comprising representatives from the General Administration, Finance and Housing & Urban Development departments will be formed to address complex technical and legal issues in a time-bound manner.

Additional Chief Secretary, H&UD Department, Usha Padhee, said the reforms would strengthen governance architecture, enhance accountability and empower OWSSB to function with greater efficiency and autonomy.

Senior officials, including the Managing Director of the Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO), EIC, OWSSB, EIC (PH) and other Board members, were present at the meeting.