Section 6(5)(e) in The Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003
(e)the State Government or the Union territory Administration, as the case may be, or the officer not below the rank of the Nodal Officer, duly authorized by the State Government or the Union territory Administration, as the case may be, to finally dispose of such proposals, after examination of the geo-referenced map and certificate and after such further enquiry as it may consider necessary, grant permission for prospecting of minerals subject to fulfillment of stipulated conditions, or reject the same within twenty-five days of receipt of the proposal from the Divisional Forest Officer and communicate the same to the concerned Divisional Forest Officer and the User Agency, within next five days;