Gadchiroli, Sept. 1 -- : Former Maoist leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupathi, who surrendered before police last year, has been appointed as a coordinator under Gondwana University's 'Ekal' programme to work for tribal rights and welfare in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district, officials said on Tuesday.
Under a three-month contractual assignment with a monthly honorarium of Rs 30,000 , Bhupathi will assist tribal communities in securing benefits under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA).
He will help villagers and gram sabhas prepare and process forest-rights claims, address documentation deficiencies and spread awareness about legal and constitutional safeguards available to trib...