Editor's Pick | Jobs, inflation take centre stage in 2024 Lok Sabha campaign

As the campaign hots up and voters in some parts gear up for voting, unemployment and price rise have emerged as serious concerns for nearly half the electorate, the CSDS-Lokniti pre-poll survey 2024 has revealed. Barely over one-sixth had mentioned these two issues in 2019. Two points have emerged distinctly from the survey which provides visible evidence of the concerns about limited employment opportunities, spiralling prices, increasing corruption, rising rural distress and perception of deteriorating economic conditions of the households. One, voters are generally aware of the economic distress they are going through. The other point is the visible class divide. The poor and lower middle classes appear to have been more adversely affected by the emerging economic distress. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed (62%) across localities, with the highest among cities (65%), felt that it has become more difficult to secure jobs. The numbers for those living in villages and towns were 62% and 59%, respectively; 65% of the men shared this opinion compared with 59% of the women. The concern was highest among Muslims at 67%, a number closely matched by Hindus from Other Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes (63% each) and Scheduled Tribes (59%). The opinion that jobs were easier to get was shared the highest among Hindu upper castes (17%), even as 57% of them felt otherwise. The opinions on price rise mirror that of unemployment with a whopping 71% saying that prices have increased, with the number increasing to 76% among the poor, 76% and 75% among Muslims and SCs. The poor and rural residents assert this point more sharply than the urban dwellers and those in the middle and upper classes. Notably, there is an interesting contrast when comparing the responsibility of State and Union governments on price rises. While a higher percentage of voters would place the blame for price rise on the Centre as compared to the State, the reverse is true when it comes to giving credit for decreasing prices. The interlinkages between these two issues have affected the ability of a household to maintain its standard of living. Regarding the status of household income as compared to five years ago, a higher percentage says they are now able to fulfil their needs and save, but there is a visible class divide. Half the poor respondents said that they face difficulties in fulfilling their needs. Nearly half of the respondents agreed that their life had become ‘better’ over the past five years while a little over one-third of respondents said their condition had become comparatively worse. One in every three said that they can fulfil their needs though they could not save after meeting all expenses. All others found it difficult in varying degrees to make both ends meet. Simply put, citizens do not perceive their economic condition as very comfortable. Against one-sixth (16%) who are happy that acche din has arrived already, over two of every 10, think that good days have not really arrived and another less than two of every 10, appear sceptical about the arrival of good days. More than half of the respondents (55%) are of the view that corruption has increased in the past five years. Interestingly, compared with the CSDS-Lokniti pre-poll survey of 2019, this number has gone up by around 15 percentage points. Development has consistently been a major consideration for Indians while deciding whom to vote for in the Lok Sabha election. As per the survey, close to two in 10 voters are of the view that no development has taken place in the country in the past five years. Though this sentiment has persisted among a similar proportion of voters since 2004, the survey found that 32% of voters think that in the past five years, development has taken place ‘only for the rich’. India’s demographic heavily tilts towards rural areas, and agriculture remains the primary occupation. However, over the past few years, the nation has witnessed widespread farmer protests. The pre-poll survey indicates a skew in favour of the agitating farmers’ right to protest. On the other hand, nearly one in six (16%) voters perceive the farmers’ protest as a conspiracy against the government. The survey also reveals that one in 10 respondents either lack awareness of the protests or are unfamiliar with the farmers’ demands. This lack of awareness is marginally higher (12%) among farmers’ households The Hindu’s Editorials ​Pandora’s box: On the electoral bonds scheme, emerging details ​Crowded field: On Maharashtra politics The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz How many Lok Sabha seats does the UT of Ladakh have? Three One Two Four To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 11 April 2024 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]Open in browser [Mail icon]More newsletters Jobs, inflation take centre stage in 2024 Lok Sabha campaign As the campaign hots up and voters in some parts gear up for voting, [unemployment and price rise have emerged as serious concerns for nearly half the electorate]( the CSDS-Lokniti pre-poll survey 2024 has revealed. Barely over one-sixth had mentioned these two issues in 2019. Two points have emerged distinctly from the survey which provides visible evidence of the concerns about limited employment opportunities, spiralling prices, increasing corruption, rising rural distress and perception of deteriorating economic conditions of the households. One, voters are generally aware of the [economic distress they are going through](. The other point is the visible class divide. The poor and lower middle classes appear to have been more adversely affected by the emerging economic distress. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed (62%) across localities, with the highest among cities (65%), felt that it has [become more difficult to secure jobs]( The numbers for those living in villages and towns were 62% and 59%, respectively; 65% of the men shared this opinion compared with 59% of the women. The concern was highest among Muslims at 67%, a number closely matched by Hindus from Other Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes (63% each) and Scheduled Tribes (59%). The opinion that jobs were easier to get was shared the highest among Hindu upper castes (17%), even as 57% of them felt otherwise. The [opinions on price rise mirror that of unemployment]( with a whopping 71% saying that prices have increased, with the number increasing to 76% among the poor, 76% and 75% among Muslims and SCs. The poor and rural residents assert this point more sharply than the urban dwellers and those in the middle and upper classes. Notably, there is an interesting contrast when comparing the responsibility of State and Union governments on price rises. While a higher percentage of voters would place the blame for price rise on the Centre as compared to the State, the reverse is true when it comes to giving credit for decreasing prices. The interlinkages between these two issues have affected the ability of a household to maintain its standard of living. Regarding the status of household income as compared to five years ago, a higher percentage says they are now able to fulfil their needs and save, but there is a visible class divide. Half the poor respondents said that they face difficulties in fulfilling their needs. Nearly half of the respondents agreed that their life had become ‘better’ over the past five years while a little over one-third of respondents said their condition had become comparatively worse. One in every three said that they can fulfil their needs though they could not save after meeting all expenses. All others found it difficult in varying degrees to make both ends meet. Simply put, citizens do not perceive their economic condition as very comfortable. Against one-sixth (16%) who are happy that acche din has arrived already, [over two of every 10, think that good days have not really arrived]( and another less than two of every 10, appear sceptical about the arrival of good days. More than half of the respondents (55%) are of the view that [corruption has increased in the past five years](. Interestingly, compared with the [CSDS-Lokniti pre-poll survey of 2019]( this number has gone up by around 15 percentage points. Development has consistently been a major consideration for Indians while deciding whom to vote for in the Lok Sabha election. As per the survey, close to [two in 10 voters are of the view that no development has taken place in the country in the past five years](. Though this sentiment has persisted among a similar proportion of voters since 2004, the survey found that 32% of voters think that in the past five years, development has taken place ‘only for the rich’. India’s demographic heavily tilts towards rural areas, and agriculture remains the primary occupation. However, over the past few years, the nation has witnessed widespread farmer protests. The [pre-poll survey indicates a skew in favour of the agitating farmers’ right to protest](. On the other hand, nearly one in six (16%) voters perceive the farmers’ protest as a conspiracy against the government. The survey also reveals that one in 10 respondents either lack awareness of the protests or are unfamiliar with the farmers’ demands. This lack of awareness is marginally higher (12%) among farmers’ households The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][​Pandora’s box: On the electoral bonds scheme, emerging details]( [Arrow][​Crowded field: On Maharashtra politicsÂ]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz How many Lok Sabha seats does the UT of Ladakh have? - Three - One - Two - Four To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. 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