COVID-19 top worry of urban Indians, followed by job loss, crime: Survey

COVID-19 is the top-most worry of urban Indians, followed by unemployment, crime, poverty and inequality, according to a global survey.

However, a majority of Indian respondents said the country is headed in the right direction, it added.

The Ipsos 'What Worries the World' survey pointed out that for global citizens too, COVID-19 was the biggest worry, with at least 61 per cent respondents stating it.

"Urban Indians have chosen a host of issues that continue to bog them down.

"62 per cent...mentioned COVID-19, 38 per cent have mentioned unemployment, 24 per cent said crime and violence and 21 mentioned poverty and social inequality," the survey pointed out.

It, however, noted that the silver lining continues to be that majority of Indians (65 per cent) feel that the country is heading in the right direction.

Other markets most optimistic about the future were China (a whopping 99 per cent), Saudi Arabia (90 per cent), Peru (75 per cent) and Malaysia (66 per cent), the survey said.

However, majority of global citizens believe their country is on the wrong track, it said. The markets most pessimistic about the future were Chile (80 per cent), France (74 per cent) and South Africa (71 per cent).

The survey was conducted in 28 countries via the Ipsos online panel system.

The countries included Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Great Britain, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the US.

A total of 19,505 interviews were conducted between March 20 and April 3 among adults aged 18-74 in the US, South Africa, Turkey, Israel and Canada, and aged 16-74 in all other countries.