India, Aug. 4 -- Promises of free or heavily subsidised public services come at a hidden cost, chief economic advisor (CEA) V Anantha Nageswaran has said. The government official also said that building infrastructure while charging below-cost prices was unsustainable.

Addressing the CII Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Summit 2026, Nageswaran said political approaches to utility pricing, urban planning and infrastructure financing often weaken the country's long-term economic health.

"Free is the most expensive word in public policy," he said, as per PTI. The CEA said pricing essential services such as water at zero makes people treat them as unlimited, leading to waste. "The thing we call free is the thing we destroy. This is not a paradox, ...