On 30 November 2023, the SAIs Russian and India held an experience-sharing webinar on auditing the implementation of national housing programmes.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Timur Makhmutov, Director of the Department for International and Regional Cooperation, SAI Russia, noted that supreme audit institutions play a special role in preventing misuse of public funds in addressing housing problems.

Mr. V.S. Venkatanathan, Principal Director of Audit (Report Central), and Mr. Abhishek Jain, Deputy Director, SAI India, highlighted major government support measures for housing and their implementation in India. The speakers indicated that SAI India pays particular attention to the methodology for identifying beneficiaries, to planning and monitoring of the state support as well as to the coordination of activities between the relevant government agencies. The auditors also assess the transparency of payments to beneficiaries of government schemes and the performance of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority.

The experience of SAI Russia was presented by Mr. Vadim Vasilets, Head of Inspection of the Department for Audit of Regional Development, Housing and Utilities. The speaker briefly outlined the main stages of the audit, stressing that the SAI analyses annually the number of housing units commissioned, the number of families whose housing conditions have improved, the amount of mortgage loans granted and other indicators. For example, the assessment of the impact of national housing programmes on the well-being of citizens identified a number of irregularities that may hinder comprehensive development of the housing sector and housing affordability. According to Mr. Vasilets, on the basis of the audit findings, SAI sent its recommendations to the Government of the Russian Federation.

The participants of the seminar stressed the importance of the meeting and expressed their hope to continue sharing best practices on a regular basis.