Bhubaneswar, January 14: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to visit the state for the third time in as many weeks on Tuesday, Odisha PCC has posed five questions to him, ranging from the chit fund scam to unemployment. Speaking at press conference here on Monday, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik said, "The PM should tell us why is he protecting the (Odisha) chief minister in the chit fund scam. Why did CBI not act against chit fund scam accused?"

He alleged the NDA government at the Centre was shielding the ruling BJD in the state in corruption cases. In his second question, Patnaik asked why had the Swaminathan Committee recommendations on minimum support price for paddy not been implemented even though the BJP had promised to do so ahead of the 2014 general elections. Modi, he said, had promised jobs to two crore youths every year. "Now after four-and-half-years of the NDA government, the PM should tell us how many youths of Odisha have been provided jobs so far," the Odisha PCC president asked. PM Narendra Modi's Development Push in Odisha Ahead of Lok Sabha Polls 2019; Projects Worth Rs 14,500 Crore Inaugurated.

Patnaik also sought to know from the prime minister why the Centre had ignored the KBK projects started by Rajiv Gandhi and why the Centre did not give a special package for the backward western region of the state. He sought clarification from Modi on the alleged ignoring of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), which has its engine and Sukhoi divisions at Sunabeda in the state. PM Modi to Visit Odisha's Balangir on Jan 15.

"I hope the prime minister answers these questions when he comes to Odisha tomorrow," Patnaik said. The prime minister is scheduled to visit Bolangir and address a public meeting there in his latest visit. Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress has demanded a special package for Bolangir.