The Mangalore chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has launched a programme to impart knowledge in awakening the citizens about the financials of India.

As part of this, the Mangalore chapter will organise contests for chartered accounts, CA students, and to those students pursuing degrees such as MBA, M.Com etc. on the country's balance sheet.

A press release by the institute said here that chartered accountants, cost and management accountants, company secretaries, bankers, academicians and such other qualified persons are invited to participate in a contest called Ideation'.

They are asked to give unique ideas to augment revenue or curtail wasteful expenditure of the country. Entries for this will have to be submitted by February 21.

For students pursuing CA course, a writing contest, based on the concepts of the budget assets and liabilities of the Union Government, will be held on February 18.

Students pursuing courses such as MBA, MA, M.Com etc. are invited to participate in a power point presentation competition called Our Budget'. This will be held on February 25.

For undergraduate students, an essay contest on De-mystifying India's balance sheet' is planned. Students can submit their essays by February 21. There will be a separate category for post-graduate and CA students who wish to submit essays on the same topic.

More details on the contests can be had from mangalore@icai.org

The next step will be a panel discussion to the general public after the presentation of the budget. Core issues from this will be framed to be taken up at a national workshop in Mangalore scheduled in July.

As a curtain raiser to these programmes, Mr G. Giridhar Prabhu, Trustee of the Economic Research Centre of the Mangalore Chapter, made a presentation on India's balance sheet' to a gathering of chartered accountants and students in Mangalore recently, the release added.