SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF MEASURES FOR CITY’S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT BY THANE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION (TMC)

The world is currently exploring the concept of sustainable development. This can be attained by making a paradigm shift in the process of planning and implementing of various development projects. Accommodative and inclusive growth is to be attained for development to be socially sustainable. The planning authority for the city of Thane in Maharashtra state, India, is the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) being established in 1982. Paper attempts to outline selective measures taken by TMC to ensure sustainable development for the city and also to study the social impact of these measures. TMC’s proactive measures in areas of slum improvement, health, education and its cost effectiveness by emerging partnerships with other stakeholders are discussed and the social impact of these measures is assessed through level of resident’s awareness and the level of satisfaction derived by them from TMC’s projects and services obtaining primary data from residents. The Social impact evaluation of TMC’s measures for sustainable development is found to be participative and also proactive. Analysis of satisfaction score and awareness score from primary data collected however, shows that these scores are lower. Effective governance on part of TMC and participatory approach however are recommended to ensure sustainable development for the city.