INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,
MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)
ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue III, March 2025
www.ijltemas.in Page 428
Economic Impact
The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, held in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, had profound socio-economic impacts, significantly
influencing the local and national economy, infrastructure development, and social dynamics.
The event generated substantial economic activity, with estimates indicating an output of approximately ₹2.8 lakh crore
(around $34 billion). This figure encompasses direct expenditures by attendees, indirect effects from related industries,
and induced impacts from increased disposable income among residents. Notably, direct spending by visitors reached
about ₹90,000 crore, with transportation services alone contributing ₹37,000 crore. The Confederation of All India
Traders (CAIT) projected business transactions exceeding ₹3 lakh crore during the 45-day festival, highlighting the
event's significant contribution to the economy. (The Economic Times)
III. Review of Literature
e-Governance 4.0 represents the evolution of electronic government services in the era of the fourth industrial revolution. It
leverages emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, the IoT, and blockchain to enhance public service
delivery and citizen engagement (Cruz and Sandoval-Almazán, 2014; Elhabian, 2021). This new paradigm aims to improve the
effectiveness, efficiency, and transparency of government operations while reducing costs and corruption (Prihartono and Tuti,
2023).
The implementation of e-Governance 4.0 requires support, capacity, and value-driven approaches to overcome tangible and
intangible challenges (Prihartono and Tuti, 2023). It transforms traditional paper-based processes into secure, tamper-proof digital
systems, enhancing data management and accessibility (Alfawaz, 2023). As governments worldwide adopt these technologies, e-
Governance 4.0 is poised to revolutionise public administration, fostering innovation in service provision and facilitating more
interactive citizen-government relationships (Elhabian, 2021; Alfawaz, 2023).
This concept aims to enhance government services and interactions with citizens, businesses, and other agencies (Rahadian,
2019). While the quantitative implementation of e-government in Indonesia has increased, qualitative improvements are still
needed, particularly in regional areas (Jefri et al., 2023; Wirawan, 2020). Challenges include limited human resources, inadequate
management systems, and a narrow focus on website creation (Jefri et al., 2023). To successfully transition to e-Governance 4.0,
recommendations include improving legal regulations, enhancing IT education, developing adequate infrastructure, fostering a
disruptive mindset among government officials, and strengthening moral and religious education (Jefri et al., 2023; Wirawan,
2020). These efforts are crucial for increasing national competitiveness and adapting to the industrial revolution 4.0 era
(Rahadian, 2019).
e-Governance in India has evolved significantly since its inception, aiming to improve public service delivery through
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) (Gupta and Bansal, 2013). It is considered a high-priority agenda to bring IT
to the common public, despite challenges such as poverty, literacy, and infrastructure issues (Kumar et al., 2010). India's e-
Governance journey progressed from computerization (1984-1995) to internet-based services (post-1995), with the government
drafting twelve minimal agendas for implementation in 2000 (Reghunath, 2022). The National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) in
2006 marked a more organized approach, followed by the Digital India initiative in 2014, which aimed to introduce digitization at
the grassroots level (Anand and Khemchandani, 2019). While e-Governance has improved transparency, accountability, and
service delivery times, challenges persist, including the digital divide and the need for infrastructure development and public
digital education (Reghunath, 2022; Kumar et al., 2010).
The Kumbh Mela, particularly the Maha Kumbh, is one of the world's largest religious mass gatherings, attracting millions of
Hindu pilgrims (O'Connell, 2010). Managing such an event presents significant challenges in terms of sanitation, healthcare, and
crowd control (Baranwal et al., 2015). While the Maha Kumbh 2013, was generally well-managed, with satisfactory health and
hygiene conditions, some issues like drainage problems and inadequate toilet facilities were identified (Baranwal et al., 2015).
The Simhastha Maha Kumbh 2016, at Ujjain resulted in poor river water quality, with some bathing sites exceeding pollution
control norms (Pawar, 2016). More recently, the Maha Kumbh 2021, raised concerns about the introduction of various pathogens
into the Ganga River ecosystem (Patel et al., 2021) which remains to be further ratified though.
Researchers discussed the risks of crowd surges and crush injuries at the Kumbh Mela and the need for public health preparedness
to reduce these risks. Reducing the risk of crowd surges and associated deaths and/or injuries is a crucial public health priority for
such mass gatherings. (Kanaujiya and Tiwari, 2025) An opportunity to promote antibiotic stewardship through digital tools,
training, and task shifting at Kumbh Mela, the world's largest mass gathering, by implementing task shifting, point-of-care
diagnostics, digital tools, clinician training, and community awareness campaigns to address the high rates of antibiotic overuse
and overprescribing observed at previous Kumbh Mela events. (Chan et al. 2022) Digital surveillance at the 2013 and 2015
Kumbh Melas found high rates of antibiotic overuse, with up to 31% of all patient encounters resulting in an antibiotic
prescription. Antibiotic prescribing was particularly high for upper respiratory tract infections (68.7% of patients) and febrile
illnesses (53.7% of patients with fever received antibiotics), despite most being viral in origin. There was significant variation in