Subhash Chandra Singh

Subhash Chandra Singh (born 1960) is a social activist, people leader and policy maker from the State of Odisha, India. He is the first directly elected Mayor of Cuttack Municipal Corporation,[1] acting Treasurer of Biju Janta Dal and General Secretary of Biju Sramika Samukhya (biggest labor union in Odisha). Previously he has also been member of Rajya Sabha from Odisha and has also served as National spokesperson for BJD.[2] He was elected for Rajya Sabha on 24 March 2020.[3][4] Being one of the most trusted senior leaders in BJD, he holds the position of Party Treasurer of Biju Janta Dal since 2016.[5]

Subhash Singh with Honourable CM Naveen Pattnaik

Subhash Singh
Singh addressing the media at an event of Biju Sramika Samukhya (Trade Union of BJD)
Mayor of Cuttack for Odisha
Founder and General Secretary of Biju Sramika Samukhya (Trade Union Wing of Biju Janata Dal)
Party Treasurer Biju Janata Dal
Assumed office
April 2022
Personal details
Born15 Aug 1960
Kendrapara, Odisha
AwardsAwarded Cuttack Gourav Sanman (Pride of Cuttack) by Baimundi

Prior to being elected to Rajya Sabha, he has served as Chairman of OB&OCWWB (Odisha Building & Other construction workers Welfare Board) for two consecutive terms.[6]

He is also a founder member and general secretary of Biju Shramik Shamukhya ( Trade union wing of Biju Janta Dal).[7] Biju Sramika Samukhya is currently the biggest trade union in Odisha.

With BJD Supremo Naveen Pattnaik

He is one of the most active members of Rajya Sabha from Odisha. He voices issues faced by common working class in the parliament like minimum wage for Aanganwadi and ASHA[8] workers, welfare schemes for drivers[9] etc.

Early life

Singh was born in a small village of Kendrapada (Father Lt.Damodar Singh and Mother Lt.Anusaya Singh). He started as a people leader and has been instrumental in creation of multiple workers union and welfare initiatives. He was the president of Cuttack Bancho Committee, an all party initiate created in 2006, which has played a key role in the development of Cuttack.[10]

From 1990 to 2012, he was the face of the communist movement in Odisha. Due to incompetent leadership and internal disputes within CPIM, he joined BJD (Biju Janta Dal) in July 2013. At the time CPIM was directly supporting BJD government in Odisha. BJD Chief and Odisha CM Sri Naveen Patnaik personally welcomed Mr.Singh [11] to Biju Janta Dal and said "He is a asset for the Party".

Right after joining BJD, Mr.Singh became the state spokesperson for BJD and has been vocal about various developmental schemes by the government ever since. In 2014, he was selected as the Chairman of OB&OCWWB (Odisha Building & Other construction workers Welfare Board). Under his leadership the labor welfare board (OB&OCWWB) enrolled over 28 Lakhs workers and dispersed direct benefits to 20 Lakhs+ workers. His performance was not only recognized by the state and central government but also International Labor Organisation.

MP Subhash Chandra Singh In discussion with Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport & Highways on National Highway development projects in Odisha

He continued to advise the state government on various welfare schemes including Jaga Mission, which guarantees permanent settlement for slum dwellers in Odisha.[12] This is one of kind scheme by Odisha Government. This led to his huge popularity among the working class across Odisha. Meanwhile, with his performance record and loyalty towards the party, BJD Chief Shree Naveen Pattnaik appointed him as Party Treasurer for Biju Janta Dal.

In 2018 Subhash Singh under the leadership of honorable Chief minister Sri Naveen Pattnaik founded Biju Sramika Samukhya - the labour wing of BJD. Within 3 years BSS turned into the biggest and the most active trade union in Odisha.[13]

Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha

In March 2020, Mr.Singh was elected to Rajya Sabha as Member of Parliament. He has been one of the most active MPs from Odisha, known for raising grassroot level issues in the upper house. Some of the issues raised by Mr.Singh are as follows.

  • Demanded development Naraj as the second railway station for Cuttack.[14]
  • Demand for more trains to stop-over at Cuttack, connecting the city to major metros across India.[15][14]
  • Re-development of Barabati Fort by ASI [16]
  • Drainage system around NH5 to be improved and City exit points for Cuttack to be beautified by NHAI
    Subhash Singh with M. Venkaiah Naidu

Points Raised for the Working Class
  • Increase in minimum wage for Aanganwadi workers
  • Proving social security to AASHA workers, giving special status and Increasing their minimum wage to INR 18,000.[17]
  • Removing GST on Kendu products from 18% to 5%. This will benefit around 10 Lakhs workers.[18]
  • Creation for refreshment centers and resting places for commercial drivers on Highways by NHAI[19]
  • Train connectivity from Kendrapada to Paradeep for workers travelling daily between both districts.

Other Points
  1. Achieved UGC grant for Balangir Rajendra College post multiple demands at Rajya Sabha and follow ups with Ministry of Education[20]
  2. Demanded GI tag for Rasabali, a delicious dessert from Kendrapada district.[21]

Apart from raising issues in the upper house (Rajya Sabha), Mr.Singh also actively pursues the solutions by constantly chasing respective ministries. This is the reason within few years he has become quite popular across party lines.

Cuttack Municipal Election 2022 - First Directly elected Mayor of Cuttack
One of the top line leaders from Biju Janta Dal and previously MP Rajya Sabha, became the mayor of Cuttack Municipal Corporation.

In 2022, BJD vote share in the Barbati-Cuttack assembly segment had plummeted to 34.7 percent in 2019 from 45.8 percent in 2014 and 53.8 percent in 2009, when in contrast the vote share of Congress went up from 28.4 percent in 2009 to 34.4 percent in 2014 and 37.6 percent in 2019. The top leadership in the party was on the lookout for a new face. In such scheme of things, CM Patnaik pitted sitting Rajya Sabha member Subhash Singh in the direct mayor election. The Mayor poll results show that BJD's Subash Singh polled a whopping 1.13 lakh votes in the three constituencies, becoming the first directly elected Mayor of Cuttack.

The BJD polled the highest of around 57633 votes in the 2014 Assembly elections, however, it nosedived to 46,417 in 2019 Assembly polls. On the other hand, Subhash Singh has polled over 80,000 votes in the Barbati-Cuttack segment. The winner shield for BJD shows that Congress polled almost around 50,000-52,000 votes in the Assembly segment. The incumbent legislator of Barbati-Cuttack Mojammad Mouqim of the Indian National Congress had polled 50,244 votes in the 2019 assembly polls.[22] Commanding the maximum number of votes not only in Cuttack Barabati but also in Cuttack Sadar and Choudwar, Mr.Singh has proved himself to be the most popular leader in the whole Cuttack district.

Unions and Labour Forums

He is quite popular among young people and poor people.[4][23] Apart from being in a front line leader in Biju Janta Dal, he is also a distinguished labour leader and is part of multiple unions and labor forums across India. This includes Auto Mahasangh, All India Hawkers Association, All Odisha Drivers Mahasangh, AASHA, Anganwadi, Swachya Sathi and multiple other unions. He heads the Labor wing of Biju Janta Dal and is the founder of the biggest labor union in Odisha - Biju Sramika Samukhya.

Inaugurating fresh Drinking water initiative in Cuttack, Odisha

References
  1. "Odisha civic polls: Subash Singh reigns supreme in Cuttack". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  2. "Odisha: BJD appoints 4 MPs as national spokespersons | Sambad English". 4 September 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  3. OdAdmin (7 March 2020). "Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik announces Sujit Kumar, Subhash Singh, Munna Khan, Mamata Mahanta as #RajyaSabha nominees from BJD". Odisha Diary. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  4. "Subhash Singh: Latest News, Videos and Photos of Subhash Singh | Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  5. "BJD's election expenditure hiked by 19 times in 2019". Odisha News, Odisha Latest news, Odisha Daily - OrissaPOST. 8 September 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  6. "Building & Other Construction Worker's Welfare Board". bocboard.labdirodisha.gov.in. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  7. IANS (28 April 2017). "BJD forms its own trade union". Business Standard India. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  8. There Is No Help For Anganwadi Workers By Centre Says Subhas SIngh, retrieved 31 December 2021
  9. BJD MP Subhash Singh Demands Rest House And Parking Facilities In NH’s For Lorry Driver, retrieved 31 December 2021
  10. "Postal chief under fire". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  11. "Poll fever: Four Left leaders join BJD | Bhubaneswar News - Times of India". The Times of India. TNN. 23 June 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  12. କଟକ ବସ୍ତି ଅଞ୍ଚଳରେ ଜୋରଦାର ପ୍ରଚାର ଚଳାଇଛନ୍ତି ବିଜେଡି ମେୟର ପ୍ରାର୍ଥୀ ସୁବାସ ସିଂହ | NandighoshaTV, retrieved 1 April 2022
  13. "BJD's trade union Biju Shramik Samukhya formed". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  14. More Trains for Cuttack & A 2nd Railway Station in Naraj: Subhash Singh In Rajya Sabha, retrieved 1 April 2022
  15. Rajya Sabha Subhash Singh Speaks On Development Of Cuttack Railway Station, retrieved 1 April 2022
  16. MP Subhash Chandra Singh Demands Restoration Work Of Barabati Fort In Assembly II Kalinga TV, retrieved 1 April 2022
  17. Demand for Salary Hike for ASHA workers || Subhash Singh, MP Rajya Sabha, retrieved 1 April 2022
  18. Rajya Sabha: Odisha MP Subhash Singh Proposed On Reducing GST On Kendu Leafs From 18% To 5%, retrieved 1 April 2022
  19. BJD MP Subhash Singh Demands Rest House And Parking Facilities In NH’s For Lorry Driver, retrieved 1 April 2022
  20. UGC Status To Rajendra College: Rajyasabha MP Subash Singh Thanks Dharmendra Pradhan, retrieved 1 April 2022
  21. Odisha MP Writes To Centre Seeking GI Tag For Kendrapara Rasabali, retrieved 1 April 2022
  22. Otv, News Desk. "Will Naveen Play Singh Is King Tune For Cuttack Assembly Elections In 2024". Will Naveen Play Singh Is King Tune For Cuttack Assembly Elections In 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  23. Rajya Sabha MP Subash Singh Visits Family Members Of Covid-19 Victims In Cuttack || KalingaTV, retrieved 1 April 2022
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