Assessment of Socio-Economic Impacts

1. Government or private programs, policies and projects can

cause potentially significant changes in many features of the

socio-economic environment. In some cases the changes may
be beneficial while in others they may be detrimental.
2. Major development projects can include significant requirements
for associated infrastructure, such as, streets, highways, or
railroads, water supply, sanitary sewers, storm water drainage,
erosion control, sediment control and grading, electrical
systems, gas systems and telephone communication systems.

Conceptual Framework for Prediction and

Assessment of Socio-economic Impacts
Step-1 : Delineation of study area and categorization of projects having socioeconomic impacts.
Step-2 : Identification of potential socio-economic impacts
Step3 : Preparation of description of existing socio-economic conditions
Step-4 : Procurement of relevant standards, criteria, or guidelines
Step-5 : Impact prediction for without-project and with-project conditions
Step-6 : Assessment of socio-economic impact significance
Step-7 : Incorporation of mitigation measures in design of the present and
preparation of Draft Environment Impact Statement.

Step-1 : Study area delineation and

categorization of present activities
The delineation of study area for the analysis of
social and community effects requires a sufficient
knowledge of the characteristics of the proposed
project or activity.
Definition of the boundaries of the study area
may also be influenced by the availability of
population and employment data.
The basic impact area associated with predicting
and assessing impacts on the socio-economic
environment is called the regions of influence
(ROI). This represents the geographical area or
region, wherein the project-induced c

 The ROI for addressing socio-economic impacts would be

comparable to 1. an air quality control region for addressing
air quality impacts, 2. a watershed for addressing surfacewater quantity and quality impacts, or 3. an ecoregion or
habitat type for addressing biological impacts.

Step-2 : Identification of Socio-Economic

Impacts
For identifying the impacts of any project activities the
following social factors like population changes,
employment
opportunities,
educational
facilities,
transportation, systematic earth and social surveys,
religious patterns, community cohesion, and recreation
facilities are to be conducted.
An assessment of socio-economic impact should consider
in the number of additional jobs resulting from the
project. It is important to distinguish between new jobs
created and transfer of jobs from one industry to another
replacing it.

 Where a significant immigrant work force is needed to implement a project,

the availability of suitable housing should be considered. Housing provided
should be suited to the cultural and social-economic background of workers.
The peaceful-ness of an area is an important aesthetic quality and it is
the quality that attracts people to certain urban recreational or wilderness
area.
The well being of community depends on its having a stable community
structure. The community structure is cultural, religious and the socioeconomic, characters of the community together with its social organization
and system of government. Rapid technical and economical development
can have an effect on the trust or acceptance of a traditional community
structure. In response to social change within the community, the existing
community structure may evolve to meet new needs in the community.

Step-3 : Description of existing socioeconomic condition of the study area

The region of influence (ROI) have to be examined on the basis
of the following points : 1. Areas separated from the surrounding
areas by physical boundary obstruction like rails, roads, high
ways, and rivers. 2. Area of residential land-use surrounded by
other uses such as commercial and industrial . 3. Area with a
concentration of special population groups, such as, elderly, lowincome or a specific ethnicity. 4. Area with like housing types,
such as, mobile homes, or high-density condominiums or
apartments. 5. Area of distinct housing value, compared with
surrounding areas. 6. Area of predominantly one type of
population employment, such as, professional. 7. Area with an
established community group or organization.

Step-4 : Procurement of Relevant Standard/

Criteria / Guidelines
Socio-economic impact assessment involves relative
comparison of the effects with standard/criteria published
by professional staffs/organization with public guidelines

or standard for various social activities.

Step-5 : Impact Prediction with and without

project conditions
Modeling of economic demographic impact provides basic
information for addressing public service impacts (education,
health services, police and fire protection, utilities, and solid
waste management), social impacts (housing, transportation,
urban land use, and land ownership), and fiscal impacts.
Fiscal impacts are themselves dependent upon many public
services and social impacts.
The quality of life (QOL) represent, a composite indication of
economic, demographic, public service, social and fiscal
impacts along with impacts caused by still other factors
related to a sense of well being at a given time and location.

Step-5 : Assessment of Significance of

Socio-Economic Impacts