To promote original Hindi books writing on Environment and related subjects like forests, wild life, pollution and water resources , the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, have introduced a scheme for awards to Indian authors of original works in Hindi. In pursuance of the Official Language Resolution, 1968, Department of Official Language designs programmes every year to speed-up propagation and development of Hindi language and also to accelerate its progressive use. This will keep with the spirit of the Constitution. Work done in the peoples’ Language will reach to the roots and speed-up development.

The detailed subjects are Forest Resources and Development, Forestry, Conservation of Nature and Biosphere Reserve, Wildlife, Pollution control, Ganga Project, Environmental Impact Assessment, Ecological Regeneration and Development, Research promotion and Environmental Eduction to name few.

The awards, Medini Puraskar Yojana, were instituted in 1987. The books are invited from Indian authors every year and the books which are adjudged as “best” are given cash awards. The selection is done by the Evaluation Committee constituted for this purpose in the Ministry. Four cash awards are given under this scheme where the fourth award is a consolation prize. The first prize, second prize and third prize are Rs. 31,000/-, Rs. 25,000/-, and Rs. 20,000/- respectively. The consolation prize consists of Rs. 15,000/-.