(1)

With effect from such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint in this behalf, there shall be constituted a State Authority to be called the “State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority” in each State.

(2)

The Central Government may, if so desires, appoint different dates for constitution of State Authority in each of the States.

(3)

The State Authority constituted in a State shall be responsible for the management of the State Fund of such State and its utilisation for the purposes of the Act.

(4)

The State Authority shall consist of a governing body and shall be assisted by a steering committee and an executive committee.

(5)

The governing body of a State Authority shall consist of the following, namely:—

(i) Chief Minister of the State and in case of a Union territory having no legislature, the Lieutenant Governor or the Administrator, as the case may be— Chairperson, ex officio;

(ii) Minister of Forests—Member, ex officio;

(iii) Chief Secretary—Member, ex officio;

(iv) Principal Secretaries of the Departments dealing with Environment, Finance, Planning, Rural Development, Revenue, Agriculture, Tribal Development, Panchayati Raj, Science and Technology—Members, ex officio;

(v) Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force)—Member, ex officio;

(vi) Chief Wildlife Warden—Member, ex officio;

(6)

Principal Secretary in-charge of the Forest Department in a State shall be Member Secretary of the State Authority in such State.

(7)

The State Government shall appoint an officer of the rank not below the rank of a Chief Conservator of Forests as the Chief Executive Officer of the State Authority who shall be the Member-Secretary of the steering committee and the executive committee of the State Authority.