The Planning Commission, Govt. of India constituted a Working Group on Mineral Exploration and Development (other than Coal & Lignite) in the context of formulation of the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-2017), under the chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Mines, Government of India vide their O.M. No. I&M-3(24)/2010 dated 23rd February, 2011. The Working Group was divided into four separate Sub-Groups and each of the sub-groups has to function in the ambit of
the Terms of Reference. Sub-Group-I was constituted vide order No. 10(59)/2010/M 5 dated 30.03.2011 with the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Mines as the Chairman and the Director(Technical), Ministry of Mines as the Member-Secretary. The Terms of Reference (ToRs) of Sub-Group-I are basically concerned with issues related to enhancement of mineral exploration activities, both onshore and offshore, in the country.