27Accounts and audit of State Authority

(1) Each State Authority shall maintain proper accounts and other relevant records and prepare an annual statement of accounts in such form as may be prescribed in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India.

(2) The accounts of each State Authority shall be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General at such intervals as may be specified by him and any expenditure incurred in connection with such audit shall be payable by the State Authority to the Comptroller and Auditor-General.

(3) The Comptroller and Auditor-General and any other person appointed by him in connection with the audit of the accounts of the State Authority shall have the same right and privileges and authority in connection with such audit as the Comptroller and Auditor-General generally has in connection with the audit of the Government accounts and, in particular, shall have the right to demand the production of books, accounts, connected vouchers, other documents and papers and to inspect the office of the State Authority.

(4) The Accounts of the State Authority as certified by the Comptroller and Auditor-General or any other person appointed by him in this behalf together with the audit report thereon, shall be forwarded annually to the State Government by the State Authority.

(5) The Comptroller and Auditor-General shall, within a period of six months from the date of commencement of the Act, audit the accounts of all the monies which have been transferred by the ad hoc Authority to the State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authorities constituted in the States in compliance of guidelines dated the 2nd July, 2009 and submit the report to the State Government under this section.

(6) The Central Government and the State Government concerned shall have the power to conduct the special audit or performance audit of the State Fund and of the State Authority through the Comptroller and Auditor-General.