Prelims Focus 19th June 2025

PM-WANI scheme

In News: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recently prescribed a tariff cap for connectivity rates charged to Public Data Offices (PDOs) under the PM-WANI scheme to keep public Wi-Fi affordable. 

• Under this framework, all retail Fiber to the Home (FTTH) broadband plans up to 200 Mbps must be offered to PDOs at tariffs not exceeding twice the rates applicable to retail subscribers for the corresponding broadband plan bandwidth. 
• This move aims to balance affordability for small-scale PDOs while ensuring reasonable compensation for service providers. 
• The cap addresses concerns that high internet costs and expensive leased line agreements were discouraging small businesses from becoming PDOs, limiting the scheme’s growth. 
• With this tariff ceiling, backhaul costs for public Wi-Fi hotspots are expected to become up to 10 times more economical, boosting the proliferation of public internet access and digital inclusion across India.

Operation Sindhu

In News: Operation Sindhu is an evacuation mission launched by the Government of India to rescue Indian nationals, primarily students, stranded in Iran amid escalating conflict between Iran and Israel in June 2025. The operation was initiated due to the deteriorating security situation following Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites and Iran’s retaliatory missile attacks, which heightened tensions and posed risks to Indian citizens living there.

Key details of Operation Sindhu include:

• The first phase involved evacuating 110 Indian students from northern Iran. These students were safely moved by road to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, on June 17, 2025, under the supervision of Indian diplomatic missions in Iran and Armenia.
• From Yerevan, these students boarded a special flight that departed on June 18 and arrived in New Delhi in the early hours of June 19, 2025.
• The operation prioritizes the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad, with continuous assistance from the Indian Embassy in Tehran and a 24×7 control room established by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi.

• India coordinated closely with the governments of Iran and Armenia to facilitate the evacuation process smoothly.
• Armenia was chosen as the evacuation route due to its stable relations with India, proximity to northern Iran, and neutral stance in the conflict, as other neighboring countries like Pakistan and Azerbaijan posed challenges due to political tensions and closed airspace.
• Around 4,000 Indians reside in Iran, with nearly half being students. The operation aims to continue evacuating more Indian nationals from the conflict zones in Iran using available and feasible options.
• Emergency helplines have been activated by the Indian Embassy in Tehran and the MEA to assist Indian citizens in Iran during the crisis.

NICDC-led Industrial Nodes

In News: The Union Minister of Commerce & Industry chaired a high-level evaluation meeting to evaluate the progress of NICDC-led business nodes in Andhra Pradesh under many business corridors.

• The National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) is an initiative under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. 
• It is devoted to developing subsequent-technology business smart cities aimed at boosting manufacturing, attracting investments, producing employment, and improving India’s global financial competitiveness.
• NICDC ensures seamless multimodal connectivity, plug-and-play infrastructure, and sustainable urbanization thru its flagship corridors:
  • Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), 
  • Amritsar–Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC), 
  • Chennai–Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC), 
  • East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC), 
  • and Bengaluru–Mumbai Industrial Corridor (BMIC).
• Andhra Pradesh is the simplest nation within the country to host business nodes under 3 separate Industrial Corridors.

Turmeric Cultivation

In News: Turmeric farming has turned out to be a new way to thwart wild animal risk in Munnar, Kerala. 

• Turmeric is a part of Curcuma Long botanic institution and it is a perennial herbaceous plant of the ginger circle of relatives (Zingiberaceae).
• It is used as a seasoning, dye, medicine with diverse applications and also used within the cosmetics industry.
• Turmeric is also known as ‘Golden Spice’.
• India is the most important manufacturer, customer and exporter of turmeric in the world.
• In 2023-24, India was accountable for over 70% of world turmeric production and there are 30 sorts of turmeric produced in India.
• Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Karnataka, West Bengal, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Assam are a number of the crucial states cultivating turmeric.

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