Coimbatore: Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) - Coimbatore branch  plans to develop a knowledge centre here.

G. Ramaswamy, Central Council Member of the Institute, told that a new building of the branch was coming up at Thudiyalur on a 65-cent plot and would be completed in a year.

The Coimbatore centre had about 3,000 students and the new building would house a coaching centre for students and have training facilities, Mr. Ramaswamy said.

Training would be imparted in emerging areas such as information technology, management and communications. The centre would benefit chartered accountants from the neighbouring towns too.

The institute would invest about Rs. 4.5 crore (in total) to establish the centre and it would be called the 'Temple of Knowledge', he said.

The member added that the institute signed up an agreement with Bharathiar University nearly six months ago.

This was especially for the benefit of CA students and chartered accountants who were interested in doing B.Com, BBA, M.Com or MBA programmes.

'This is also an opportunity for those interested in a doctorate,' he said.

The institute had entered into agreements with select universities in other parts of the country too, he said.