'47 SEZ files were not produced for CAG audit in 2012-13'

NEW DELHI: As many as 47 files relating to the performance of SEZs were not produced for audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in 2012-13, Parliament was informed today.

"The CAG, in its report for 2012-13, on performance of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), has observed that 47 files were not produced to audit," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

"On scrutiny, it has been found that all files, except 5, are available in the department and ready to be audited. The remaining five files relating to central government SEZs which are of 30-50 years old are not available," she added.

The Minister further said that as per record retention schedule of Department of Commerce, the retention period of these files has expired.

So far 491 proposals for SEZs have been formally approved by the government. Presently, 199 zones are operational.

The maximum of 36 special economic zones (SEZs) are operational in Tamil Nadu, followed by 25 each in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana and subsequently Andhra Pradesh (19) and Gujarat (18).