ACCRUAL ACCOUNTING IN GOVERNMENT IN FIVE YEARS TIME

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) plans to move from cash to accrual basis accounting in government within a five year time frame. A National Round Table Conference on Accrual Basis Accounting was held in CAG office yesterday i.e, May 5, 2009. The Conference, convened by Government Accounting Standards Advisory Board (GASAB) of CAG of India, deliberated the issue of migration from cash to accrual basis accounting and laid down the roadmap for migration process. The accrual based financial statements are expected to provide more appropriate presentation of financial performance and position of the government. The Union and States would have a common format of financial statements that would include a Balance Sheet, a Statement of financial performance and a Cash flow statement. The framework for the accrual accounting shall be Indian Government Financial Reporting Standards (IGFRS) issued by GASAB. IGFRS are harmonized with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), the international standards for governments. Department of Posts in Government of India and selected departments of Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and West Bengal have embarked on accelerated pilot studies on accrual basis accounting. These pilot studies would be precursor to a national rollout which is aimed for within a five year time frame. The pilot studies would be conducted by teams from the State Accountant General offices with international and national consultants with the support of state governments. The World Bank is funding these pilot studies. Principal Secretaries from State Governments, officials from Department of Posts, Accountant General of various states, and World Bank officials participated in the National Round Table Conference.
OUTCOME OF SUPPORT OF ALL THE MEMBERS OF BCAA

OUTCOME OF SUPPORT OF ALL THE MEMBERS OF BCAA

Give copies of answersheets, court tells centre
Posted: Friday , May 01, 2009 at 0247 hrs IST
The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to provide students with certified copies of answersheets under the Right to Information Act.
Justice S Ravindra Bhat dismissed contentions raised by the institute that answersheets fell beyond the purview of the RTI, holding that students were well within their rights to access them.
ICAI is an institute. You should apply pragmatism and set examples for others. You should start by yourself... Many institutes do that and allow students to inspect their copies, Justice Bhat told the ICAI, which had challenged a Central Information Commission verdict to provide certified copies of papers to students who failed the exams.
Additional Solicitor General Parag Tripathi, appearing for ICAI, submitted that the Supreme Court in its order of 2007 rejected the candidates right to demand answersheets.
compiled by CA Rajesh P Langalia