The Labour government in New Zealand said on Friday (August 11) that it plans to make it compulsory for large companies to publish gender pay gap data. The step has been taken in an effort to ensure that woman in the country get equal pay as that of men.

The government is due to face election in October this year. Currently, the Labour government is trailing in opinion polls. The elections will take place on October 14. In order for the gender pay gap policy to be legislated, the government will need re-election or gain bipartisan support after the polls.

The government has said that it initially plans to require 900 public sector companies to report their gender pay gap. These companies employ more than 250 employees each. After four years, the government plans to make the rule compulsory for all companies that have more than 100 workers in their employment.

“Countries we compare ourselves to including Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom have already successfully introduced gender pay gap reporting. We need to ensure we’re staying in line with international standards,” said Minister for Women Jan Tinetti.

“The reality is that women have different experiences in the workplace than men, and change is needed. Requiring companies to publish their gender pay gap will encourage them to address the drivers of those gaps and increase transparency for workers,” she added.

According to the data from New Zealand's Public Service Commission, the gender pay gap in the public service was 7.7 per cent as of June 30.

The governing Labour Party is currently lagging in opinion polls. A poll by the Taxpayers’ Union and Curia Market Research released on Thursday finds that the centre-right parties of National and ACT will have enough support to form a government.

CNN quoted a 2021 household survey done by New Zealand government and said that for each dollar&nbsp;a non-ethnic New Zealander male professional earned, his female counterpart earned 89 cents. The inequality is more in certain ethnic minorities. In case of ethnic Maori population, the women earned 81 cents to the dollar a man earned. In Pasifika population, women on an average earned 75 cents as compared to a dollar a man for the same community earned.

The New Zealand government is reportedly going to consult the public on the legislation. It hopes to seek feedback on reporting pay gaps in employees from ethnic communities.

According to CNN, the legislation is yet to be drafted. Considering there are only three weeks of parliament session remaining until general election in October, it is likely that a new government will have to take decision on implementation of the provisions.

(With inputs from agencies)

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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The Labour government in New Zealand said on Friday (August 11) that it plans to make it compulsory for large companies to publish gender pay gap data. The step has been taken in an effort to ensure that woman in the country get equal pay as that of men.

The Labour government in New Zealand said on Friday (August 11) that it plans to make it compulsory for large companies to publish gender pay gap data. The step has been taken in an effort to ensure that woman in the country get equal pay as that of men. The government is due to face election in October this year. Currently, the Labour government is trailing in opinion polls. The elections will take place on October 14. In order for the gender pay gap policy to be legislated, the government will need re-election or gain bipartisan support after the polls. The government has said that it initially plans to require 900 public sector companies to report their gender pay gap. These companies employ more than 250 employees each. After four years, the government plans to make the rule compulsory for all companies that have more than 100 workers in their employment. “Countries we compare ourselves to including Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom have already successfully introduced gender pay gap reporting. We need to ensure we’re staying in line with international standards,” said Minister for Women Jan Tinetti. “The reality is that women have different experiences in the workplace than men, and change is needed. Requiring companies to publish their gender pay gap will encourage them to address the drivers of those gaps and increase transparency for workers,” she added. According to the data from New Zealand's Public Service Commission, the gender pay gap in the public service was 7.7 per cent as of June 30. The governing Labour Party is currently lagging in opinion polls. A poll by the Taxpayers’ Union and Curia Market Research released on Thursday finds that the centre-right parties of National and ACT will have enough support to form a government. CNN quoted a 2021 household survey done by New Zealand government and said that for each dollar a non-ethnic New Zealander male professional earned, his female counterpart earned 89 cents. The inequality is more in certain ethnic minorities. In case of ethnic Maori population, the women earned 81 cents to the dollar a man earned. In Pasifika population, women on an average earned 75 cents as compared to a dollar a man for the same community earned. The New Zealand government is reportedly going to consult the public on the legislation. It hopes to seek feedback on reporting pay gaps in employees from ethnic communities. According to CNN, the legislation is yet to be drafted. Considering there are only three weeks of parliament session remaining until general election in October, it is likely that a new government will have to take decision on implementation of the provisions. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

New Zealand government to make companies publish gender pay gap data

August 15th 2021 is a date which is etched in the memories of all Afghans across the world. It was a nightmare to witness the fall of the Afghan Republic and our flag - the symbol of our identity within the international community.

One year down the road and majority of Afghans have still not come to terms with everything that happened post August 2021. Personally, I still struggle to comprehend the events that unfolded and eventually, led to the fall of Kabul, my homeland.

Conflict has been synonymous with Afghanistan’s name for the past four decades. Globally, Afghanistan is commonly associated with terrorism, war and opium. No one cared to look beyond the stereotypical, generalized notions about my homeland. I am not saying those projections were all false, but they weren’t entirely true. Afghanistan has so much more to offer.

Here we are on 15th of August 2022, marking the one-year anniversary of Kabul’s fall and victory of the IEA forces in Afghanistan. While we all know how the political transition happened and what unfolded afterwards, it is much more important to understand the serious implications this transition brought for the millions of common Afghans - especially women and girls.

A roller coaster of emotions took over us. Dread, pain, grief, loss and uncertainty eclipsed our hopes. The trauma will continue to haunt us for years to come and perhaps, only perseverance and time will heal us.

With the fall of the republic and the establishment of the new regime, the public sector took a big hit. While the system already faced a number of challenges, political transition just made it worse. Sectors such as healthcare, education and economy were severely crippled and continue to struggle till date.

Access to education is considered one of the most vital rights for a child and every nation must ensure that all children get an equal opportunity to quality education.

However, the prohibition on teenage girls to go back to school is the perfect example of how political chaos has deprived Afghan girls from their basic right to education for over 330 days (and counting).

The Twitter hashtag #LetAfghanGirlsLearn has been trending for months on different social media platforms while, on the other hand we have some INGOs and local NGOs who have been trying to advocate and appeal to the world and current authorities in Afghanistan in order to provoke a change regarding this issue. However, there are no actual results.

Every day my teenage cousins ask me whether they would ever go back to school? Whether they will be able to fulfil their aspirations? Unfortunately, I have no answers for them. I feel absolutely helpless thinking about the millions of other deprived girls.

With each passing day, the world is failing Afghan girls by choosing to be silent. In my opinion, no good will ever come to a country where girls are denied their right to education.

Following the collapse of the previous government, I still remember the mayhem one could witness outside banks after 15th of August 2021. Everyone was just trying to rush to the banks and get their money out because they knew that they would lose all their savings if the banking system collapsed.

Unfortunately, there is not much of an improvement for the Afghan economy. Even after a year the economy is only plummeting and deepening the already existing humanitarian crisis.

In the initial days post 15th of August 2021, there was a huge liquidity crisis across the country which crippled the banking system and to further add to our miseries, Afghanistan’s foreign currency reserves were frozen as well. Additionally, Afghanistan was a country highly dependent on foreign funding for its survival so with the fall of the republic and the halt in funding from donor countries, the situation worsened.

People across Afghanistan have plunged into deeper levels of poverty over the past year and the situation remains dire. Almost 97% of families are struggling to provide enough food for their children (Save the Children, August 2022) and this inch-meal we are getting poorer in all respects.

Furthermore, it is not only the banking system, but also the healthcare system and other basic public services that are being affected and will jeopardize the lives of millions of Afghans.

We are in a deep humanitarian crisis.

Most importantly, let us be mindful to acknowledge that the fate was my country is nothing but a manufactured catastrophe.

Sadly, there has also been a significant brain drain since the Taliban came to power, I am certain that majority will return to Afghanistan if and when the conditions are stable. No one wishes to leave their home and stay away by choice.

Like me, there are many in Afghanistan who chose to stay back and are yearning for a better future. It is inspiring to see many Afghan-led initiatives such as PenPath, Charmaghz, Ehtesab, LEARN AFG and many more who continue to bring the best out of the worst conditions for us.

May the Afghan spirit never cease to exist!

The author is a postgraduate scholar pursuing International Relations, with a specialization in Peace &amp; Diplomacy from Kardan University, Afghanistan. She is currently engaged with a prominent INGO working in the humanitarian sector.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

&nbsp;

August 15th 2021 is a date which is etched in the memories of all Afghans across the world. It was a nightmare to witness the fall of the Afghan Republic and our flag - the symbol of our identity within the international community.

August 15th 2021 is a date which is etched in the memories of all Afghans across the world. It was a nightmare to witness the fall of the Afghan Republic and our flag - the symbol of our identity within the international community. One year down the road and majority of Afghans have still not come to terms with everything that happened post August 2021. Personally, I still struggle to comprehend the events that unfolded and eventually, led to the fall of Kabul, my homeland. Conflict has been synonymous with Afghanistan’s name for the past four decades. Globally, Afghanistan is commonly associated with terrorism, war and opium. No one cared to look beyond the stereotypical, generalized notions about my homeland. I am not saying those projections were all false, but they weren’t entirely true. Afghanistan has so much more to offer. Here we are on 15th of August 2022, marking the one-year anniversary of Kabul’s fall and victory of the IEA forces in Afghanistan. While we all know how the political transition happened and what unfolded afterwards, it is much more important to understand the serious implications this transition brought for the millions of common Afghans - especially women and girls. A roller coaster of emotions took over us. Dread, pain, grief, loss and uncertainty eclipsed our hopes. The trauma will continue to haunt us for years to come and perhaps, only perseverance and time will heal us. With the fall of the republic and the establishment of the new regime, the public sector took a big hit. While the system already faced a number of challenges, political transition just made it worse. Sectors such as healthcare, education and economy were severely crippled and continue to struggle till date. Access to education is considered one of the most vital rights for a child and every nation must ensure that all children get an equal opportunity to quality education. However, the prohibition on teenage girls to go back to school is the perfect example of how political chaos has deprived Afghan girls from their basic right to education for over 330 days (and counting). The Twitter hashtag #LetAfghanGirlsLearn has been trending for months on different social media platforms while, on the other hand we have some INGOs and local NGOs who have been trying to advocate and appeal to the world and current authorities in Afghanistan in order to provoke a change regarding this issue. However, there are no actual results. Every day my teenage cousins ask me whether they would ever go back to school? Whether they will be able to fulfil their aspirations? Unfortunately, I have no answers for them. I feel absolutely helpless thinking about the millions of other deprived girls. With each passing day, the world is failing Afghan girls by choosing to be silent. In my opinion, no good will ever come to a country where girls are denied their right to education. Following the collapse of the previous government, I still remember the mayhem one could witness outside banks after 15th of August 2021. Everyone was just trying to rush to the banks and get their money out because they knew that they would lose all their savings if the banking system collapsed. Unfortunately, there is not much of an improvement for the Afghan economy. Even after a year the economy is only plummeting and deepening the already existing humanitarian crisis. In the initial days post 15th of August 2021, there was a huge liquidity crisis across the country which crippled the banking system and to further add to our miseries, Afghanistan’s foreign currency reserves were frozen as well. Additionally, Afghanistan was a country highly dependent on foreign funding for its survival so with the fall of the republic and the halt in funding from donor countries, the situation worsened. People across Afghanistan have plunged into deeper levels of poverty over the past year and the situation remains dire. Almost 97% of families are struggling to provide enough food for their children (Save the Children, August 2022) and this inch-meal we are getting poorer in all respects. Furthermore, it is not only the banking system, but also the healthcare system and other basic public services that are being affected and will jeopardize the lives of millions of Afghans. We are in a deep humanitarian crisis. Most importantly, let us be mindful to acknowledge that the fate was my country is nothing but a manufactured catastrophe. Sadly, there has also been a significant brain drain since the Taliban came to power, I am certain that majority will return to Afghanistan if and when the conditions are stable. No one wishes to leave their home and stay away by choice. Like me, there are many in Afghanistan who chose to stay back and are yearning for a better future. It is inspiring to see many Afghan-led initiatives such as PenPath, Charmaghz, Ehtesab, LEARN AFG and many more who continue to bring the best out of the worst conditions for us. May the Afghan spirit never cease to exist! The author is a postgraduate scholar pursuing International Relations, with a specialization in Peace & Diplomacy from Kardan University, Afghanistan. She is currently engaged with a prominent INGO working in the humanitarian sector. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Afghanistan under Taliban: Narrated by an Afghan woman

The return of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan was never good news for the country’s women population. Over the years, the Taliban were infamous for their oppressive rules for women and the new regime is trying to implement similar restrictions once again. The finance ministry of the country has asked its female employees to nominate a male relative to work in their place. The women employees were earlier barred from working in public sector jobs and this announcement reasserted the position taken by the government. According to The Guardian, the Taliban sent the female employees home soon after taking power last year and have been paying reduced salaries.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/global-recession-incoming-three-wall-street-leaders-enlist-possible-reasons-for-the-economic-doomsday-498373" hreflang="en">Global recession incoming? Three Wall Street leaders enlist possible reasons for the economic doomsday</a>

This is the latest decision taken by the Taliban regime which is a painful reminder of how things were in Afghanistan during the early 2000s. In May, the government once again passed a decree on women’s clothing and made it mandatory for male “guardians” to accompany women in public.

An employee of the Afghanistan finance ministry, on the condition of anonymity confirmed the developments to The Guardian and said that the justification given for the exclusion was that the “workload in the office has increased and they need to hire a man instead of us”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-acting-president-ranil-wickremesinghe-declares-state-of-emergency-498307" hreflang="en">Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe declares state of emergency</a>

&nbsp;“I was asked to introduce a male family member to replace me at the ministry, so I could be dismissed from the job. How can I easily introduce someone else to replace me? Would he be able to work as efficiently as I have for so many years?” she said according to The Guardian.

It has been a tough period of time for Afghanistan as the country was rocked by a number of earthquakes and according to the United Nations, a huge portion of its population is currently facing acute hunger after farming was disrupted by the civil war and natural disasters.

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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The return of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan was never good news for the country’s women population. Over the years, the Taliban were infamous for their oppressive rules for women and the new regime is trying to implement similar restrictions once again.

The return of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan was never good news for the country’s women population. Over the years, the Taliban were infamous for their oppressive rules for women and the new regime is trying to implement similar restrictions once again. The finance ministry of the country has asked its female employees to nominate a male relative to work in their place. The women employees were earlier barred from working in public sector jobs and this announcement reasserted the position taken by the government. According to The Guardian, the Taliban sent the female employees home soon after taking power last year and have been paying reduced salaries. Also read | Global recession incoming? Three Wall Street leaders enlist possible reasons for the economic doomsday This is the latest decision taken by the Taliban regime which is a painful reminder of how things were in Afghanistan during the early 2000s. In May, the government once again passed a decree on women’s clothing and made it mandatory for male “guardians” to accompany women in public. An employee of the Afghanistan finance ministry, on the condition of anonymity confirmed the developments to The Guardian and said that the justification given for the exclusion was that the “workload in the office has increased and they need to hire a man instead of us”. Also read | Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe declares state of emergency “I was asked to introduce a male family member to replace me at the ministry, so I could be dismissed from the job. How can I easily introduce someone else to replace me? Would he be able to work as efficiently as I have for so many years?” she said according to The Guardian. It has been a tough period of time for Afghanistan as the country was rocked by a number of earthquakes and according to the United Nations, a huge portion of its population is currently facing acute hunger after farming was disrupted by the civil war and natural disasters. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

'Asked to introduce male relatives': Taliban look to remove women from public sector roles

In Sri Lanka, the government is toiling hard to pull the country out of the energy crisis and in the latest measure the cabinet has approved a proposal to declare Friday as holiday for public sector employees.

Sri Lankan government approves 4-day week, declares Friday leave for public sector

British finance minister Rishi Sunak will unfreeze public sector pay when he presents his budget in two days' time, the finance ministry said on Monday.

The fact he would do this was first reported by the Sun newspaper on Sunday.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rishi-sunak-refuses-to-wear-a-mask-in-crowded-house-of-commons-423655">Rishi Sunak refuses to wear a mask in crowded House of Commons</a>

The size of the pay rise will depend on recommendations from pay review bodies that set wages for frontline workers, the finance ministry said in the 17th budget announcement to be released in advance of Sunak's statement on Wednesday.

The finance ministry also confirmed that the national minimum wage for people aged 23 and above will be lifted in April to 9.50 pounds ($13.06) an hour from 8.91 pounds.

Sunak is expected to set fairly tight limits for most areas of day-to-day public spending in his budget on Wednesday, which will seek to lower public debt after a record surge in borrowing during the pandemic.

The measures announced in advance of the budget include funding for the health service, education and regional transport.

British finance minister Rishi Sunak will unfreeze public sector pay when he presents his budget in two days' time, the finance ministry said on Monday. The fact he would do this was first reported by the Sun newspaper on Sunday.

British finance minister Rishi Sunak will unfreeze public sector pay when he presents his budget in two days' time, the finance ministry said on Monday. The fact he would do this was first reported by the Sun newspaper on Sunday. Also Read | Rishi Sunak refuses to wear a mask in crowded House of Commons The size of the pay rise will depend on recommendations from pay review bodies that set wages for frontline workers, the finance ministry said in the 17th budget announcement to be released in advance of Sunak's statement on Wednesday. The finance ministry also confirmed that the national minimum wage for people aged 23 and above will be lifted in April to 9.50 pounds ($13.06) an hour from 8.91 pounds. Sunak is expected to set fairly tight limits for most areas of day-to-day public spending in his budget on Wednesday, which will seek to lower public debt after a record surge in borrowing during the pandemic. The measures announced in advance of the budget include funding for the health service, education and regional transport.

UK's Sunak to unfreeze public sector wages, Treasury says

The British government has asked public bodies to ensure they do not engage in modern slavery, as part of measures announced on Tuesday.

Starting now, all public-sector organisations that have a budget over $46 million (36 million pounds) will be required to file an annual statement highlighting their efforts to counter modern slavery.

More penalties needed

Britain’s Modern Slavery Act, 2015, requires big businesses to present such a statement. However, critics feel more penalties and compliance is needed for effectiveness.

According to Victoria Atkins, minister for safeguarding and vulnerability, no sector was "immune from the risks of modern slavery".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/wildfire-smoke-from-us-crosses-the-atlantic-ocean-seen-in-parts-of-finland-uk-329412" hreflang="en">Wildfire smoke from US crosses the Atlantic Ocean; seen in parts of Finland, UK</a>

"We expect businesses and public bodies to be open about the risks, including where they have found instances of exploitation and to demonstrate how they are taking targeted and sustained action to tackle modern slavery," Atkins claimed in a statement.

In March, the British government had published its own anti-slavery statement. It cited construction, electronics, and service providers of cooks and cleaners as the most risky sectors.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/uk-upgrades-virus-alert-level-pm-johnson-set-to-announce-new-measures-329290" hreflang="en">UK upgrades virus alert level; PM Johnson set to announce new measures</a>

The statement claims how owing to complex global supply chains, “effective oversight is difficult to achieve”.

The Home Office of UK’s interior ministry is planning to launch a digital system to counter modern slavery, and to set up a single enforcement body to address employment rights.

Sara Thornton, the UK’s anti-slavery commissioner claimed that laws required to implement anti-slavery steps should be developed quickly.

The British government has asked public bodies to ensure they do not engage in modern slavery, as part of measures announced on Tuesday. Starting now, all public-sector organisations that have a budget over $46 million (36 million pounds) will be required to file an annual statement highlighting their efforts to counter modern slavery.

The British government has asked public bodies to ensure they do not engage in modern slavery, as part of measures announced on Tuesday. Starting now, all public-sector organisations that have a budget over $46 million (36 million pounds) will be required to file an annual statement highlighting their efforts to counter modern slavery. More penalties needed Britain’s Modern Slavery Act, 2015, requires big businesses to present such a statement. However, critics feel more penalties and compliance is needed for effectiveness. According to Victoria Atkins, minister for safeguarding and vulnerability, no sector was "immune from the risks of modern slavery". Also read: Wildfire smoke from US crosses the Atlantic Ocean; seen in parts of Finland, UK "We expect businesses and public bodies to be open about the risks, including where they have found instances of exploitation and to demonstrate how they are taking targeted and sustained action to tackle modern slavery," Atkins claimed in a statement. In March, the British government had published its own anti-slavery statement. It cited construction, electronics, and service providers of cooks and cleaners as the most risky sectors. Also read: UK upgrades virus alert level; PM Johnson set to announce new measures The statement claims how owing to complex global supply chains, “effective oversight is difficult to achieve”. The Home Office of UK’s interior ministry is planning to launch a digital system to counter modern slavery, and to set up a single enforcement body to address employment rights. Sara Thornton, the UK’s anti-slavery commissioner claimed that laws required to implement anti-slavery steps should be developed quickly.

Take action against modern slavery, UK orders its public sector

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday reviewed the performance of the banks in a meeting with the top management of public sector bank.

"Finance Minister reviewed at length the implementation of series of measures, following extensive stakeholder consultations, announced since 23.8.2019, including consolidation, to support economic growth," a press statement said.&nbsp;

Discussion held on the performance of the banks was carried out with a focus on supporting credit needs of the economy, in particular, the needs of sectors such as NBFCs, HFCs, MSMEs, sectors under stress and enabling better access to cheaper credit.

At the end of August 2019, overall credit growth in the banking sector stood at 10.1 per cent on a year-on-year basis, which is in parallel with record recoveries and cleaning of bank balance-sheets showing better quality of asset book, it said.

The Finance Minister was apprised that banks loan disbursement to key sector remains robust, with the disbursement of Rs 11.83 lakh crore done for MSME sector in FY 2018-19 as against Rs 8.53 lakh crore done in FY 2017-18.&nbsp;

Bank has also continued to support the housing sector by disbursing Rs. 2.19 lakh crore for home loans in FY 2018-19 as against Rs 1.81 lakh crore in FY 2017-18.

Pool buy-out of NBFC/HFC post-Septemeber, 2018 till Sept 15- 2019 was Rs 93,018 crore, including Rs 9,155 crore under the newly launched partial credit guarantee scheme.&nbsp;

Proposals of another Rs 33,200 crore under the new scheme are also in the pipeline.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday reviewed the performance of the banks in a meeting with the top management of public sector bank. "Finance Minister reviewed at length the implementation of series of measures, following extensive stakeholder consultations, announced since 23.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday reviewed the performance of the banks in a meeting with the top management of public sector bank. "Finance Minister reviewed at length the implementation of series of measures, following extensive stakeholder consultations, announced since 23.8.2019, including consolidation, to support economic growth," a press statement said. Discussion held on the performance of the banks was carried out with a focus on supporting credit needs of the economy, in particular, the needs of sectors such as NBFCs, HFCs, MSMEs, sectors under stress and enabling better access to cheaper credit. At the end of August 2019, overall credit growth in the banking sector stood at 10.1 per cent on a year-on-year basis, which is in parallel with record recoveries and cleaning of bank balance-sheets showing better quality of asset book, it said. The Finance Minister was apprised that banks loan disbursement to key sector remains robust, with the disbursement of Rs 11.83 lakh crore done for MSME sector in FY 2018-19 as against Rs 8.53 lakh crore done in FY 2017-18. Bank has also continued to support the housing sector by disbursing Rs. 2.19 lakh crore for home loans in FY 2018-19 as against Rs 1.81 lakh crore in FY 2017-18. Pool buy-out of NBFC/HFC post-Septemeber, 2018 till Sept 15- 2019 was Rs 93,018 crore, including Rs 9,155 crore under the newly launched partial credit guarantee scheme. Proposals of another Rs 33,200 crore under the new scheme are also in the pipeline.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reviews performance of banks with top management

Venezuela's public employees were called to return to work Thursday after the government ended a nearly week-long hiatus caused by an unprecedented <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-blackout-civilians-gather-at-highway-after-it-showed-slightest-cellphone-signal-203058">nationwide blackout</a> that deepened widespread anger against President Nicolas Maduro.

Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez said in an address on state television Wednesday that Maduro decided the public sector would resume work on Thursday, although state schools would remain closed for an extra day.

The span of decreed public holidays started last Friday, a day after power went out in 22 of Venezuela's 23 states, disrupting transport, causing stockpiled food to rot in fridges and forcing some Caracas residents to source water from sewage outflows as taps ran dry.

By Wednesday, electricity was back in Caracas and other regions. But swaths of western Venezuela remained without power, including the city of Maracaibo where more than 500 shops reported having been looted, according to a retailers' association.

The blackout -- the worst in the history of the once-rich oil-producing nation -- deepened an already grave economic crisis.

According to Ecoanalitica, an economic analysis firm, the vast power cut cost Venezuela $875 million.

"There is major paralysis in many critical areas in the oil sector," it said, estimating that up to 70 per cent of the one million barrels of oil a day Venezuela still managed to produce could end up being affected.

"No water, no power, no medicine, no cash, no transport. This has been dreadful," one Caracas resident, Victoria Milano, 40, told AFP.

The worsening situation has bolstered Juan Guaido, an opposition leader whose claim to be Venezuela's interim president is backed by the US and 50 other countries.

"This desperation and darkness are caused by the dictatorship," he told supporters on Tuesday, alleging that 20 people had died in hospitals because of a lack of power.

He added that he expected to take over the presidential palace "very soon."

Venezuela's pro-Maduro prosecutor's office has hit back with a criminal investigation against Guaido for "sabotage," alleging he had a hand in the blackout. But the opposition leader remains free after the US warned of "consequences" if he were arrested.

- Maduro sees 'victory' - 
Maduro has accused Washington of waging "cybernetic" and "electromagnetic" attacks against Venezuela's Guri hydroelectric plant, which provides power to 80 per cent of the country's 30 million inhabitants.

As he declared "victory" on television late Tuesday, asserting that power had been restored "in almost all" the nation, Caracas residents in formerly middle-class neighbourhoods banged pots in the street in protest.

Experts said an attack by a foreign state actor on Venezuela's grid was possible but unlikely.

"Knowing Venezuela, it was likely an internal failure," Jeff Middleton, the chief technology officer at The Vault Foundation, a company that secures cryptocurrency transactions, told AFP.

Venezuela's infrastructure has degraded over years because of lack of investment, a significant brain drain, and the government's practice of putting the military in charge of key civilian facilities and companies.

That has impacted not only the electricity grid but also the country's vital oil industry.

The situation has worsened with successive rounds of US sanctions against Maduro's government, including steps that have severely curbed its oil exports.

- China, Spain offer help - 
While much of Latin America and Europe have thrown their weight behind Guaido with a view to forcing presidential elections in Venezuela, Maduro has the support of Russia and China, major creditors and buyers of Venezuelan oil.

China on Wednesday said it stood ready to help Venezuela get its electricity up and running again.

"China hopes that Venezuela can quickly find the cause of this accident and restore normal power and social order," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular briefing in Beijing.

"China is willing to offer assistance and technical support to Venezuela to restore the power system," Lu said.

The spokesman said China was "very concerned" about reports of a cyber attack, but declined to directly blame the United States.

Spain, one of the EU countries strongly backing Guaido, also offered help to fix Venezuela's "badly deteriorated" electricity system.

Venezuela's public employees were called to return to work Thursday after the government ended a nearly week-long hiatus caused by an unprecedented nationwide blackout that deepened widespread anger against President Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuela's public employees were called to return to work Thursday after the government ended a nearly week-long hiatus caused by an unprecedented nationwide blackout that deepened widespread anger against President Nicolas Maduro. Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez said in an address on state television Wednesday that Maduro decided the public sector would resume work on Thursday, although state schools would remain closed for an extra day. The span of decreed public holidays started last Friday, a day after power went out in 22 of Venezuela's 23 states, disrupting transport, causing stockpiled food to rot in fridges and forcing some Caracas residents to source water from sewage outflows as taps ran dry. By Wednesday, electricity was back in Caracas and other regions. But swaths of western Venezuela remained without power, including the city of Maracaibo where more than 500 shops reported having been looted, according to a retailers' association. The blackout -- the worst in the history of the once-rich oil-producing nation -- deepened an already grave economic crisis. According to Ecoanalitica, an economic analysis firm, the vast power cut cost Venezuela $875 million. "There is major paralysis in many critical areas in the oil sector," it said, estimating that up to 70 per cent of the one million barrels of oil a day Venezuela still managed to produce could end up being affected. "No water, no power, no medicine, no cash, no transport. This has been dreadful," one Caracas resident, Victoria Milano, 40, told AFP. The worsening situation has bolstered Juan Guaido, an opposition leader whose claim to be Venezuela's interim president is backed by the US and 50 other countries. "This desperation and darkness are caused by the dictatorship," he told supporters on Tuesday, alleging that 20 people had died in hospitals because of a lack of power. He added that he expected to take over the presidential palace "very soon." Venezuela's pro-Maduro prosecutor's office has hit back with a criminal investigation against Guaido for "sabotage," alleging he had a hand in the blackout. But the opposition leader remains free after the US warned of "consequences" if he were arrested. - Maduro sees 'victory' - Maduro has accused Washington of waging "cybernetic" and "electromagnetic" attacks against Venezuela's Guri hydroelectric plant, which provides power to 80 per cent of the country's 30 million inhabitants. As he declared "victory" on television late Tuesday, asserting that power had been restored "in almost all" the nation, Caracas residents in formerly middle-class neighbourhoods banged pots in the street in protest. Experts said an attack by a foreign state actor on Venezuela's grid was possible but unlikely. "Knowing Venezuela, it was likely an internal failure," Jeff Middleton, the chief technology officer at The Vault Foundation, a company that secures cryptocurrency transactions, told AFP. Venezuela's infrastructure has degraded over years because of lack of investment, a significant brain drain, and the government's practice of putting the military in charge of key civilian facilities and companies. That has impacted not only the electricity grid but also the country's vital oil industry. The situation has worsened with successive rounds of US sanctions against Maduro's government, including steps that have severely curbed its oil exports. - China, Spain offer help - While much of Latin America and Europe have thrown their weight behind Guaido with a view to forcing presidential elections in Venezuela, Maduro has the support of Russia and China, major creditors and buyers of Venezuelan oil. China on Wednesday said it stood ready to help Venezuela get its electricity up and running again. "China hopes that Venezuela can quickly find the cause of this accident and restore normal power and social order," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular briefing in Beijing. "China is willing to offer assistance and technical support to Venezuela to restore the power system," Lu said. The spokesman said China was "very concerned" about reports of a cyber attack, but declined to directly blame the United States. Spain, one of the EU countries strongly backing Guaido, also offered help to fix Venezuela's "badly deteriorated" electricity system.

Venezuela calls public sector back to work as blackout recedes

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