The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has partnered with the Centre for Urban Studies (CUS) of the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) to improve financial accountability and municipal accounting practices in urban local bodies.
The accounting body, via its Public and Government Financial Management Committee, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the CUS to take up the work.
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The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Minister and IIPA Executive Council chairman Jitendra Singh, IIPA director-general Surendra Kumar Bagde, ICAI president Prasanna Kumar D and senior representatives.
The MoU, already effective, will be valid for three years.
Under the agreement, the ICAI and the CUS plan to conduct joint research, policy studies, training programmes, workshops and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
The partnership will provide technical and advisory support to municipalities to strengthen accounting practices, improve financial management systems and build institutional capacity.
According to the ICAI, the move will support the creation of financially resilient and citizen-centric municipalities, in line with broader goals of “good governance and sustainable urban development”.
Prasanna Kumar D said: “This MoU will bring together the strengths of the two institutions (ICAI & IIPA) to strengthen municipal accounting, modernise financial management practices, and build the institutional capacity of municipalities to deliver transparent, accountable and citizen-centric governance.”
The IIPA is a research and training organisation under the Government of India’s Department of Personnel & Training.
Bagde said: “Municipal accounting is the primary step towards municipal reforms.”
Earlier this month, the ICAI launched the Global Orbit Summit 2026 to strengthen India’s Global Capability Centre footprint.
