In a significant development that will fulfill a long-pending demand of students and parents in Gondia, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is planning to open its new branch in the adjoining district. At present, Gondia has a Continuing Professional Education (CPE), popularly called as Study Centre for its members. Further, extending its reach in the region, the ICAI is also planning to start a new study centre in Bhandara. Both the new facilities will be within the Western India Regional Council (WIRC) of ICAI. Gondia’s proposed facility will be the fourth branch of WIRC of ICAl in Vidarbha where it already has branches at Nagpur, Amravati and Akola. There are 36 branches, and 53 study centres in WIRC. CA Ketan Saiya, Chairman WIRC, who was in the city on Saturday, said that Gondia has fulfilled the criteria for opening a branch.

 

“To open a new branch of a regional council of ICAI, a city should have a minimum of 200 registered Chartered Accountants. Similarly, to start a new study centre, we need at least 20 registered Chartered Accountants in that city,” he said. “We recently received a proposal from the Chartered Accountants for opening new branch in Gondia,” Saiya said adding that a team of WIRC will visit the city on July 20. After the Gondia visit, the WIRC will send the proposal to Central Council of ICAI which will take a final call on the matter. Though the WIRC officials refused to comment on the time line for opening the new facility, sources told The Hitavada that it may take 6-8 months to finalise the proposal. It is important to note that the WIRC has recently opened a new branch in Gandhinagar in Gujarat. The WIRC is aggressively expanding its presence in all the three States, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa, under its jurisdiction.