1st March 2025

Explanation - A Blood Moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse when the Earth is positioned directly between the Sun and the Moon. The red-orange appearance is due to Rayleigh scattering, where shorter-wavelength blue light is scattered, and longer-wavelength red light passes through Earth’s atmosphere. During totality, the Moon is within the umbra, the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, causing it to appear red-orange. The visibility of a Blood Moon depends on geographic location and local atmospheric conditions. It is not always visible globally, as evidenced by the 2022 event, which was not visible in India due to occurring during daytime.

Explanation - GAAR (General Anti Avoidance Rules) is designed to target and curb aggressive tax planning and tax avoidance schemes that comply with the letter of the law but not the spirit. GAAR applies to both domestic and international transactions, allowing tax authorities to scrutinise and address tax avoidance strategies irrespective of the jurisdiction. GAAR provisions enable tax authorities to deny tax benefits arising from transactions or arrangements that do not have any substantial commercial purpose other than achieving tax benefits.

Explanation - CBAM is a policy proposed by the European Union (EU) to address carbon leakage. CBAM aims to prevent businesses from relocating production to countries with less stringent emission rules. It imposes a carbon tax on imports from countries with less stringent climate policies. CBAM aims to ensure that the carbon cost is accounted for in imported goods. CBAM aims to equalise the carbon cost of imported goods with that of goods produced within the EU. The mechanism seeks to create a level playing field. CBAM covers a range of sectors including cement, iron, steel, aluminium, fertilisers, and electricity.

Explanation - The first two statements are incorrect. ASHA is a trained female community health activist recognised as a key component of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). Selection criteria for ASHAs - In rural areas, ASHA must primarily be a woman resident of the village married/ widowed/ divorced, preferably in the age group of 25 to 45 years and literate preferably qualified up to 10th standard (formal education up to Class 8). In urban areas, ASHA must be a woman resident of the “slum/vulnerable clusters” and belong to that particular vulnerable group which have been identified by City/District Health Society for selection of ASHA and must have good communication and leadership skills. Enrolment of ASHA - ASHA is chosen through a rigorous process of selection involving various community groups, self-help groups, Anganwadi Institutions, Block Nodal officer, District Nodal officer, the village Health Committee and the Gram Sabha. Number across country - There are around 10.4 lakh ASHA workers across the country, with he largest workforces in states with high populations – Uttar Pradesh (1.63 lakh), Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Goa is the only state with no such workers, as per the latest National Health Mission data available from September 2019. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised India’s 4 lakh ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers as ‘Global Health Leaders’ for their efforts in connecting the community to the government’s health programmes and their work during Covid-19 pandemic. ASHA received the Global Health Leaders Award-2022 in the backdrop of the on- going 75th World Health Assembly.