Goa, Feb 13: Ahead of assembly elections in Goa, we present nightlights data to enable a constituency-level comparison for the economic activities over six years, covering 2015 to 2020. The report provides insights from illustrations on the level and change in economic activity for all of its 40 assembly constituencies.
Growth Pattern of Total Radiance across constituencies during pre-pandemic (2015 to 2019) is the change in total nightlight was highest in South Goa. There is a gradual increase in economic activity.
The economic activity is not expanding to newer areas in most of Goa (24 constituencies have shown a zero-point change). The lit pixels represent economic activity is high in only three constituencies (Valpoi, Sanvordem, and Canacona).
The percentage change in lit pixels from 2015 to 2019 across all 40 constituencies of Goa. Marginal increase in per cent lit pixels from 2015 to 2019. 80% of Goa does not show any changes in the lit pixels indicating possible saturation in economic growth. Overall, a 3.02% increase in lit pixels is observed from 2015 to 2019.
Only 3 constituencies (Calangute, Cortalim, Nuvem) fall in the high change. 35% (14 constituencies) have shown no change in total nightlight radiance. The impact of the pandemic remained muted over here.
The constituency-wise impact of lit pixels from 2019 to2020. The data suggests a marginal change in lit pixels in most constituencies. 2 constituencies have shown zero change.
The pandemic impact on per cent lit pixels is noted, as a 1.92% drop from 2019 to 2020. The number of constituencies having no change in per cent lit pixels is 27 (67.5%), representing no change from the pre-to-post pandemic phase. 2 Constituencies (Poriem, Siroda) show a high negative percentage change in lit pixels, representing a high pandemic impact of more than -10% change.
Nightlights is working as an indicator of economic activity and a proxy for GDP.
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Nighttime radiance as captured by satellites (NASA)
- Measure change in economic activity
- Reasonable indicator for GDP at the national and sub-national levels
- Moderate-resolution satellite images of nighttime lights
- It does not suffer from questions around data quality or manipulation
- Errors are considered to be free of political bias
- This represents economic activities in manufacturing and services, than agriculture.
- Farmers have lower access to electricity and primarily use it for pumping water that doesn’t generate nightlights.
An increase in luminosity eyes the essence of a country’s developmental and its macro-economic indicators, for example – access to electricity, reliable power supply, increased electricity consumption, increased income level, industrial production, and money and credit growth.
