Jobs, not terror, voters’ priority: Report

Vishav Bharti
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 4

It is neither national security, nor terrorism, but it is better employment opportunities, easy agricultural loan availability and higher prices of agricultural produce that weigh heavy on the mind of voters in rural and urban areas of Punjab.

The fact came to the fore in a report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

Focusing on the state, this report provides an analysis of 10 most important governance issues as rated by the voters of Punjab (out of the 31 listed in the questionnaire). The survey covered approximately 6,500 respondents across all the 13 parliamentary constituencies in the state.

The key objective of this perception assessment is to provide an improved understanding of the important expectations of voters from the government and how they assess its performance.

The report released here today shows that better employment opportunities (51.7 per cent), agriculture loan availability (33.85 per cent) and higher price realisation for farm products (31.39 per cent) are the top three priorities for voters in both rural as well as urban areas of Punjab.

When it comes to the performance of the government on all top three voters’ priorities of better employment opportunities (1.97 on a scale of 5), agriculture loan availability (1.82) and higher price realisation for farm products (1.85), it is rated as below average.

It was found that in rural Punjab, topmost voters’ priorities were the availability of agriculture loans (60 per cent), higher price realisation for agricultural products (55 per cent) and agriculture subsidy for seeds/fertilisers (49 per cent).

The performance of the government on rural voters’ priorities of agriculture loan availability (1.82 on a scale of 5), higher price realisation for farm products (1.85) and agriculture subsidy for seeds/fertilisers (1.96) was rated as below average. In addition, the government has performed poorly on availability of water for agriculture and better employment opportunities in rural Punjab.

For the urban voters in Punjab, the topmost priorities were better employment opportunities (57 per cent), better hospitals/primary healthcare centres (49 per cent) and water and air pollution (45 per cent).

The performance of the government on urban voters’ priorities of better employment opportunities, better hospitals/primary healthcare centres and water and air pollution was rated as below average. In addition, the government has performed poorly on traffic congestion and better roads in urban Punjab.

Decoding poll pattern

• Highest percentage of voters revealed that Chief Ministerial candidate was the most significant reason in voting for a particular candidate in an election. This was followed by candidate’s party and the candidate himself/herself.
• For 17 per cent of voters, distribution of cash, liquor, gifts, etc, was an important factor for voting for a particular candidate in an election. For 6 per cent it was very important factor.
• While deciding which candidate to vote for in an election, 87 per cent of Punjab voters stated that their own opinion mattered the most, followed by voters for whom opinion of their family matters.
• A large number of voters (80%) knew that distribution of cash, gifts, etc, was illegal. 52 per cent of voters disclosed that they were aware of instances where such inducements were offered to the voters in return for their votes.
• 98 per cent of voters felt that candidates with criminal background should not be in Parliament or state Assembly.