Report No. 51
17. Situation requiring urgent remedy.-
The next question is, in what cases, if at all, the situation required remedy. The answer to this question depends on how progressive a view one takes of social security, and also on how large are the financial resources of the State. In theory, one could suggest that the State should undertake to compensate in all cases, and should act as the insurer of the citizens against any misery caused by total or partial misfortune. But considerations of financial nature, coupled with the fact that where there is some private person who is liable and who, being solvent, can meet the liability, the State should not be made to pay, suggest that the remedy should be entirely against the private person.
If the above reasoning is accepted, then only cases under categories (1), (4) and (5) above need1 be seriously considered. Further, one does not know what could be the possible repercussions if category (1) is brought within the field of the State liability, -it is likely that a very large number of cases would be fictitiously made to fall within category (1). Lastly, category (5) is not of much importance after nationalisation of the business of general insurance.
1. Para. 16, supra.
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