Indian Oil Corporation started selling convenient five kilogram LPG cylinders through kirana stores and supermarkets; in which of these cities was this scheme not initially launched?

Introduction / Context:
To improve access to clean cooking fuel, Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) introduced five kilogram LPG cylinders that could be purchased from neighbourhood kirana stores and supermarkets under the Free Trade LPG scheme. Questions on this topic test awareness of how public sector companies expand services and which cities are included in pilot launches. This question specifically asks you to identify the city where the scheme was not part of the initial launch list.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The product is a five kilogram LPG cylinder sold through kirana stores and supermarkets. • The scheme refers to the early phase of Indian Oil Corporation's Free Trade LPG initiative. • The options list Bangalore, Chennai, Gorakhpur, Pune, and Lucknow. • We assume the question is about the first set of launch cities announced by IOCL.

Concept / Approach:
When IOCL began selling these five kilogram LPG cylinders through retail outlets, news reports stated that the launch took place initially in Bangalore, Chennai, Gorakhpur, Lucknow, and Aligarh. Pune was not included in this first group of cities. Therefore, among the options provided, Pune is the city where the scheme was not launched at the start, even though it may have been added later as the initiative expanded.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the list of cities named in early news about IOCL's five kilogram LPG cylinder sales through kirana stores. Step 2: Remember that Bangalore, Chennai, Gorakhpur, Lucknow, and Aligarh were mentioned as starting points. Step 3: Compare this list with the options in the question. Step 4: Notice that Bangalore, Chennai, and Gorakhpur appear both in the original list and among the options, and that Lucknow is present as option e. Step 5: Conclude that Pune is the only city in the options that was not part of the initial launch, and therefore select Pune.

Verification / Alternative check:
Contemporary news articles about the Free Trade LPG scheme state that Indian Oil Corporation began selling five kilogram LPG cylinders through kirana stores and supermarkets in cities such as Bangalore, Chennai, Gorakhpur, Lucknow, and Aligarh in the first phase. The purpose was to provide small and portable LPG cylinders for urban customers and migrant workers. These reports do not list Pune among the earliest launch locations, confirming that Pune was not included in the initial rollout described in the question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• Bangalore is explicitly named in IOCL's early announcements as one of the first cities where the scheme was launched. • Chennai also appears in the initial launch list for the five kilogram cylinders at kirana stores. • Gorakhpur is specifically mentioned as a launch location in the first phase of the scheme. • Lucknow, although not given as one of the first four options, is part of the original launch group and hence not the correct answer.

Common Pitfalls:
• Assuming that larger or more industrial cities like Pune must automatically have been included in every early pilot scheme. • Mixing up later expansion phases with the initial rollout described in exam style questions. • Forgetting lesser known initial cities like Gorakhpur and Aligarh and focusing only on the major metros.

Final Answer:
Among the listed cities, the scheme of selling five kilogram LPG cylinders through kirana stores and supermarkets was not initially launched in Pune.