More than half (55 per cent) of Indians believe foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail will generate more employment opportunities.
People in the 37-50 age category are more optimistic than the younger lot in the 22-36 age group.
People in Lucknow are most optimistic (73 per cent) about FDI generating jobs than residents of Chennai (30 per cent), according to the ‘Mood of the Nation Survey’ conducted by global research firm Ipsos.
However, more than half of the respondents (56 per cent) felt that the FDI in retail would throw the kirana (‘mom-and-pop’) stores out of business.
Among the markets surveyed, people in Chennai are most certain (74 per cent) about kirana stores going out of business and Delhi residents are least certain (36 per cent).
Only half (50 per cent) of the Indians think that investment in back-end infrastructure by large multinational retailers would help reduce wastage of farm produce, and improve the livelihood of farmers.
The survey noted that residents of Delhi are most optimistic (70 per cent) about investments in back-end infrastructure benefiting the country, whereas people from Bangalore are the least optimistic (27 per cent).
Slightly less than half (48 per cent) of Indians believe that FDI in retail will lead to lower prices of products and reduced inflation.
Surprisingly, younger citizens (22-36 age group) are more pessimistic about FDI in retail than people in the older 37-50 age group.
Indian men are more optimistic (43 per cent) than female respondents.
The Ipsos survey was conducted between September 24 and 27 among 420 men and women in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Lucknow.