13-14 August 2016

China’s Ma Long becomes fifth male Grand Slam winner at Rio Olympics

China’s table tennis champion Ma Long on 11 August 2016 defeated China’s Zhang Jike by 4-0 to grab the gold medal in Table Tennis at Rio Olympics.

With the win, Long became the fifth male player to complete the Grand Slam, and the second male player ever to be the defending champion of all three majors at the same time. Jike was the first player to do so.

Jike clinched the silver medal.

About Ma Long

•Born on 20 October 1988, Ma Long is a Chinese table tennis champion.

•As of August 2016, he is ranked number 1 in the world by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), which he has been for a total of 48 months, more than anybody else other than Wang Liqin (54 months).

•He won a record 5 ITTF World Tour tournaments in a row.

•With his victory in the Men's Singles event at the 2016 Rio Olympics, he became the 5th player to win the three most important events in table tennis, i.e. the Olympics, World Championships and World Cup. The only other player who has done that is Deng Yaping.

Nagaland government to grant 33% reservation to women in Urban Local Bodies

The Nagaland Government on 10 August 2016 decided to grant 33 percent reservation to women in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting held in Kohima.

The decision was announced by the Chief Minister TR Zeliang during the State Level Watershed Conference held in Kohima.

Zeliang however said the state has not been able to avail the annual developmental funds granted by the Centre for ULBs, which was a big loss.

Elections to the state ULBs have been pending for several years as the tenure of the first municipal bodies came to an end between December 2009 and March 2010.

Zeliang said the Joint Action Committee on Women Reservation of the Naga Mothers' Association was fighting in the Supreme Court for 33 percent women reservation, which has also led to withholding of the elections to the ULBs.

The Chief Minister informed that the dates for conducting the elections would be announced soon.

Odisha government to make Aadhar Card mandatory for procurement of paddy

In a bid to maintain transparency and ensure quick payment of dues, the Odisha government has decided to make Aadhar Card mandatory for procurement of paddy in the state.

In a meeting at the state secretariat in Bhubaneswar held on 11 August 2016, it was decided to link Aadhaar cards of farmers to the cooperative banks and the peasants’ accounts for online transfer of cost of paddy to be procured from the coming kharif season.

Both farmers and sharecroppers would link their Aadhaar cards for online payment of paddy cost. This apart, the government has also decided to link Aadhaar numbers of beneficiaries for availing ration under National Food Security Scheme and work under MG-NREGA.

So far 68 percent people have already availed Aadhar Card and others would be provided with the same before November 2016.