Job worry top on Telangana voters’ minds: ADR survey

HYDERABAD: Jobs or lack of it take primacy when it comes to what voters want from candidates in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. A majority of voters in 17 Lok Sabha sests in Telangana believe employment is the biggest issue in this election, confirming the worst fears that five years after the youngest state in India was born, jobs continue to be a major poll plank.
In a survey carried out by Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) on voting preferences and priorities among the electorate tantamount to their concerns over lack of jobs. As per the findings, 79% of voters in Peddapalle Lok Sabha constituency and 74% in Malkajgiri think that employment opportunities take precedence over any other issue. Chevella followed next with 73.3% of voters rooting for jobs.

ADR said voters in both rural and urban areas gave a big thumbs up to jobs for youth with 63% of voters in the rural hinterland wanting jobs and 71% in urban areas pitching for better employment opportunities.
The other issue which got voter preference was noise pollution with 50% in urban areas believing it to be an important issue which needs to be addressed. In rural areas, 45% voters gave priority for better price realisation of farm produce, another 45% think subsidy for seeds and fertilizers must continue.
In Nizamabad where turmeric farmers are kicking up a furore on MSP for their crop, 56% of voters raised their voice for standardisation of price.
The preferences in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, however, are at variance with Telangana. Voters in 25 Lok Sabha seats in AP don’t attach much significance to employment but want electricity for agriculture and drinking water in the order of preferecne.
Growing traffic congestion was another priority area in AP. At the all-India level, better employment opportunities and better health care remain among the top preferences among voters.