From Chairman's Desk

Dear Members,
With the august onslaught of long awaited monsoons and green activities at the branch level, I am happy to inform you about the first ever prestigious National Conference being hosted by the branch in Kolhapur.

Our branch was founded in 1981 and since then has organized two Sub– Regional Conferences and two tax cons, besides numerous other professional conferences, Seminars and CPE activities. The branch has been twice felicitated for its exemplary performance by the Institute by awarding the ‘best small branch’ in the western region. Now, to top it all we are organizing the first ever National Conference of the topographical region.

The theme of the conference is “EMERGING PARADIGM FOR ACCOUNTANTS” and it is being organized by the Committee on Trade Laws and WTO of the Institute and hosted by our branch. The conference will be spread over three days from 20th to 22nd August, 2009 and will be conducted at the picturesque campus of Shivaji University. Speakers and experts of eminence will enlighten the delegates in seven sessions wherein topic of global, national and professional importance will be deliberated.

Considering the set- up at the venue and organizational detailing, the number of delegates is restricted to 350 on first cum first served basis and taking into consideration the great importance and opportunity of attending the Conference, it would be wise to register yourself at earliest, to avoid disappointment. There would be no spot registration!
Our President CA. Uttam Prakash Agarwal is taking keen interest in the organization of the Conference, which is convened by CA. Anuj Goyal, Chairman, Committee on Trade Laws & WTO, ICAI, New Delhi and co-ordinated by CA. K.J. Bansal, Pune. Numerous Committees have been formed for the smooth and successful organization of the venture and the ball has now started rolling in the real earnest. The details of the conference are printed elsewhere in this bulletin.

The long awaited Union budget followed the monsoons, but proved to be very lukewarm affair. I shall keep aside the details of economics involved, but on the front of Direct Taxation, the expectations of common man as well as professionals were not aptly fulfilled. Overall, the budget proved a dampener with exception of doing away of FBT and CTT and some small tit- bits, here and there.

Friends, you may be now pretty busy with income tax returns and tax audits, but do not forget to register for the National Conference, at earliest.

I wish you a happy Independence Day in advance.

Yours Sincerely,
Umesh J. Powar