http://dspace.iimk.ac.in:80/xmlui/handle/2259/804 2012: Vol 1 (1) 1-54 2026-05-12T13:18:35Z http://dspace.iimk.ac.in:80/xmlui/handle/2259/825 7. Accountability, Transparency and Sustainability in Governance: Can Rural Broadband be a Game-changer? Gopalakrishnan, R. Transparency and accountability is crucial to sustainability of any system. Transparency of a governance structure is ensured if there are robust and reliable processes of information sharing. Accountability comes with effective feedback and redressal mechanisms. In this context, use of technology by way of rural broadband connectivity can greatly help in making rural governance system more transparent, accountable and hence more sustainable. This article details various methods of using rural broadband for deepening the democratic processes through Panchayati Raj in India. The use of rural broadband to communicate, train, educate, deliver, mobilize and finally evaluate can truly play a transformational role in India’s rural governance systems. IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review 1(1) 51–54 © 2012 Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dspace.iimk.ac.in:80/xmlui/handle/2259/823 6. The New Genre Higher Education Framework Kapil Sibal Institutions of higher education exist to contribute to the collective growth of the society by nurturing the creative genius of individuals. This may be achieved by striking a fine balance between gifting intellectual freedom and monitoring the fulfilment of social obligations. An environment of this kind can only be built through a policy of non-interference and institutional autonomy. A governance structure like this does not necessarily suggest lack of accountability or decentralization of power. Rather, this implies great commitment towards academic, administrative and financial accountability through the process of self-regulation. Given that higher education is transcending international borders in the digital world, we are in greater need of establishing governance structures and international quality standards which foster competence and excellence in our higher education system without curtailing academic freedom. IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review 1(1) 47–49 © 2012 Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dspace.iimk.ac.in:80/xmlui/handle/2259/822 5. ‘Fiat and Forbearance’: The Challenge of Capturing Plurality and Diversity in Environmental Governance Damodaran, A. A close reading of India’s Constitution indicates that the ideals of pluralism and diversity underpin our basic approach to environmental issues. All the same, the past record of environmental governance in the country suggests that the twin ideals have not been adequately captured through appropriate policies and programmes. Part of the reason for this situation has been the predominant use of command and control instruments for realizing environmental goals. This article argues that the future of environmental governance in India lies in pursuing the principles of pluralism and diversity through balanced approaches to issues. This would imply having an open mind towards ‘command and control’ and ‘market based instruments’, pursuing economic and social development within the ambit of environmental policies, conserving the diversity of landscapes and nurturing a network of public spheres that can create plural viewpoints on environmental issues. In the light of the current environmental scenario in the country, where local commons and global commons fight for space, it is argued that an enlightened ‘fiat and forbearance regime’ that balances the ‘global’ with the ‘local’ offers the best hope for promoting plurality and diversity in environmental governance. The article unfolds the architecture of an enlightened fiat and forbearance regime for India in its local, regional, national and global dimensions. It is argued that a multi-level, multi-stakeholder governance system, if backed by certain enabling principles, can help India realize the paradigm of ‘enlightened fiat and forbearance regime’ in the realm of environment. IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review 1(1) 33–45 © 2012 Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dspace.iimk.ac.in:80/xmlui/handle/2259/821 4. Challenges in the Sustainability of a Targeted Health Care Initiative in India Balooni, Kulbhushan; Gangopadhyay, Kausik; Turakhia, Sudeep; Karthik, R.G. In this article, we raise sustainability issues in a targeted health initiative, namely the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana. This unique health insurance initiative targets the poor population to address the iniquity in healthcare in the Indian societal context. We analyze this initiative because it is a unique case of a public–private partnership in the development sector arena in India being used as an instrument for improving the health care system on a large scale. The initial success stories from this initiative include improved hospitalization rates for the targeted population, a reduction in their out-of-pocket health care spending, and a reasonable incentive encouraging the participation of insurance companies. The sustainability of this initiative, however, is threatened mainly by a lack of information, heterogeneity in access, institutional shortcomings and the long-run escalation of costs. While the government is employing a public–private partnership to implement this initiative, there is need to simultaneously use this model to augment the existing health infrastructure to make this initiative sustainable and effective. IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review 1(1) 21–32 © 2012 Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z