It's time urban India pays more for public service: Kamal Nath

India is one of the fast-growing economies in the world, but it is struggling in awarding its citizens basic civil amenities. Hundreds of million of Indians in overcrowded cities should start paying more for better public service as the government has pushed for a massive infrastructure privatization programme, urban development minister Kamal Nath said. [caption id=“attachment_28083” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The Indian government is pushing for privatising infrastructure. Reuters”]  [/caption] City councils are struggling to pay for the rocketing demands for electricity, clean water and good roads in some of the most populous cities and biggest slums in the world. Instead, the Indian government must foster the growth of domestic and foreign companies to lift the lid on privatisation in public utilities, passing the costs on to consumers, Minister Kamal Nath said at the Reuters Global Real Estate Summit. “Everything has happened for free in the municipalities,” Nath said in an interview at his office in New Delhi. “This has to change, and it requires a huge mindset change.” Reuters