Question 10GS2GS2
You are a District Magistrate of an area which has seen a huge surge in COVID-19 cases during the second wave of pandemic in India. The health infrastructure is already overburdened. (Hospitals) are overwhelmed, crematoriums and burial sites are regularly running out of space, and covid testing is struggling to meet the demand. Also, the vaccination drive is at the risk of going off-track due to supply mismatch. During this difficult time, you come to know that there are some people who are engaging in black marketing (hoarding and profiteering by using shady trick in the black market), ransom and swindle Covid-19 patients and their kin in the name of scarcity of drugs, oxygen and hospital beds. Black marketing, hoarding and profiteering are a classic case of market failure, which highlights the significance of (state intervention) in a crisis situation. How can state effectively play the role of a regulator as well as service provider in such a case of market failure?
Main Body
State Intervention is highlighted during emergencies:
1Prevents social discrimination, enclosure of vulnerable sector e.g. rising inequality in capitalist countries
2Prevents social spillover effects such as alcoholism, drugs etc e.g. Bihar prohibition laws etc
3Tames and CSR like instruction leads to corporate being responsible at their actions
4Holds companies accountable e.g. Court case - Vodafone case
59 words5 paragraphs
This is a continuation from previous page
Examiner score
0.5/10Open original scan
Page 47
Topper
Hrishikesh Rajendra
AIR 61
Subject & Paper
GS2GS2
Topic
Government Policies and Interventions - Design, Implementation and Issues
Government Schemes and Policies
State regulation and intervention mechanisms
Writing Stats
59
Total words
5
Paragraphs
analytical
Tone