Audit for Urban Ease: India Explores City Living Standards

India is auditing the ease of living in 101 cities from citizens' perspectives, as announced by Comptroller and Auditor General K Sanjay Murthy at the 5th BRICS SAI Leaders' Summit. The audit includes urban mobility, with a focus on city life quality, sustainability, and perception. BRICS nations share these urban infrastructure challenges.

India is launching a comprehensive audit to evaluate ease of living in 101 cities, underscoring the citizens' perspectives, as announced by Comptroller and Auditor General K Sanjay Murthy. Speaking at the 5th BRICS Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) Leaders' Summit, Murthy highlighted urban mobility and logistics as pivotal aspects of the audit.

This summit, held as part of India's BRICS Chairmanship in 2026, gathers 42 delegates from member countries to discuss audit themes, share best practices, and enhance public financial oversight. The event focuses on the theme 'Ease of Living with a Focus on Urban Mobility' to address common BRICS challenges such as urban mobility and sustainable housing.

Bengaluru serves as the emblematic host for this summit, illustrating the urgent need for effective urban mobility governance. Despite contributing significantly to the GDP, Indian cities face urban mobility challenges, with increasing congestion and ineffective transportation networks, highlighting the need for cohesive systems and efficient governance strategies.