The main aim of MGs is to support medium projects which can be used to build on and/or to expand successful projects with a total budgetary outlay of not more than 500 lakhs and are expected to reflect the multi-sectoral and partnership-based characteristics of NMHS as well as to address two or more TAWs in an effort to examine more complex and often multi-disciplinary issues affecting mountain ecosystems as prioritized by the NMHS.

It is the intention that the MG should contribute significantly towards building the resilience of ecosystem-dependent mountain communities by addressing specific resilience parameters from either the ecosystem or societal system, or both. Preferably there should be spatial mapping/planning data available and the area should be large enough to be important at the ecosystem level, containing significant mountain habitats and resources and/or biodiversity.