J&K: Job, edu, health-care top proprieties of voters

Better employment opportunities, education and quality health-care facilities are the top three priorities of voters in Jammu and Kashmir, according to a report prepared by an NGO, which works in the area of electoral and political reforms in India.

“Better employment opportunities (69.23%), school education (57.36%), and better hospitals/primary healthcare centres (41.78%) are the top three voters’ priorities in overall state,” the report prepared by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), reveals.

It says the performance of the government on all top three voters’ priorities of better employment opportunities (2.33 on a scale of 5), school education (2.31), and better healthcare centres (2.19) was rated as below average.

While 79% of the voters surveyed were from rural areas, 21% were from urban areas. 70% were males and 30% females while 55% were from general category, 28% SC, 10% OBC, and 7% ST voters. The objective of the survey, carried across the country, was to provide an improved understanding of the important expectations of voters from the government and how they assess its performance.

The Jammu & Kashmir Survey Report 2018, which covered 1000 respondents across two parliamentary constituencies in the state, points to the fact that voters’ priorities in the restive Himalayan state have been neglected by the successive governments.

“This is quite clear from the fact that the government has performed poorly on almost all top ten governance issues as rated by the voters of Jammu & Kashmir. The analysis of the trend of voters’ priorities and the government’s performance in Jammu & Kashmir poses a few critical questions to the government and the legislators,” it states.

On militancy, which has plagued the state for the last three decades, the survey says, government performed poorly on terrorism (2.35 on a scale of 5). According to the survey, highest percentage of voters said the candidate himself/herself was the most significant reason (Important: 72% and very Important: 21%) for voting in an election. This was followed by the candidate’s party (Important: 38% and very Important: 50%).

For only 4% voters, distribution of cash, liquor, gifts etc was a very important factor in voting a particular candidate in J&K. While deciding which candidate to vote for in an election, 90% voters in the state stated that their own opinion mattered the most, followed by voters for whom opinion of their spouse (5%) and their family (4%) mattered the most. A large number of voters (93%) knew that distribution of cash, gifts is illegal.