The Andhra Pradesh State-level Conference of Chartered Accountants began in Vijayawada on Saturday. Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), New Delhi, honourable vice-president Subodh Kumar Agrawal inaugurated the two-day meet.

Southern India Regional Council of ICAI, Chennai, Chairman K. Viswanath, Central Council Member M. Devaraja Reddy, ICAI Vijayawada branch chairman Kunda Rama Narayana, vice-chairman B. Shivaji Prasad and others accompanied the national vice-president.

Addressing the chartered accountants (CAs), Mr. Agrawal explained about the changing Acts, and advocated the CAs to maintain ethics in the profession. Later, he released a brochure on the occasion. CAs from all over the state attended the conference. Speaking to the newsmen, the vice-president said that ICAI, which is the second largest accounting body in the world after US, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chartered Institute of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland recently. About 85 universities recognised CA course and ICAI is planning to have tie-up with more international accounting bodies and educational institutions across the globe. ICAI is having two lakh membership and 10 lakh students are pursuing the course in India.

The institute submitted a report to the HRD Ministry over maintaining standards in accounting and appealed to Election Commission of India on following uniform election accounting for all political parties in the country, he said. ICAI which is having 128 branches is planning to set up Centres for Excellence at Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Jaipur cities. Besides, the institute is making efforts to improve infrastructure in all the branches and follow the best international standards in accounting, said Mr. Agrawal.