The cooperative bank of which Indian state became the first cooperative bank in the country to launch its own RuPay ATM cum debit card?

Introduction / Context:
RuPay is an Indian domestic card payment network developed to promote financial inclusion and reduce dependence on international card schemes. When questions mention the first cooperative bank to launch its own RuPay ATM cum debit card, they are testing awareness of both banking initiatives and state level achievements in financial services. The key fact here is which state cooperative bank achieved this first in India.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The institution is a state cooperative bank, not a commercial bank. • It became the first cooperative bank in India to launch its own RuPay ATM cum debit card. • The options list Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. • We assume the reference is to news from 2014 about RuPay card launches.

Concept / Approach:
In 2014, the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Bank (HPSCB) announced that it had become the first cooperative bank in the country to introduce its own RuPay ATM cum debit card. This was widely reported as a milestone for cooperative banking and for the RuPay network. Other state cooperative banks have since followed, but the pioneering credit goes to Himachal Pradesh. Therefore, when the question asks about the state whose cooperative bank achieved this first, the correct answer is Himachal Pradesh.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the phrase first cooperative bank of the country to launch RuPay ATM cum debit card. Step 2: Recall news reports highlighting the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Bank for this specific achievement. Step 3: Match this recollection with the options that include Himachal Pradesh. Step 4: Recognise that while states like Kerala, Maharashtra, and Gujarat have strong cooperative sectors, this particular first is associated with Himachal Pradesh. Step 5: Select Himachal Pradesh as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Press releases and regional news from 2014 recorded that the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Bank launched its own RuPay ATM cum debit card and that bank authorities described it as the first cooperative bank in India to do so. Additional reports on RuPay adoption also mention this milestone. There is no comparable claim from the cooperative banks of Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra, or Karnataka at an earlier date, which confirms that Himachal Pradesh holds this distinction.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• Kerala has an active cooperative movement, but its state cooperative bank was not reported as the first in India to launch a RuPay ATM cum debit card. • Gujarat is a major financial centre but its cooperative bank did not receive national recognition as the first to issue these RuPay cards. • Maharashtra has many cooperatives and banks, yet the specific first cooperative bank RuPay card launch is credited elsewhere. • Karnataka also has strong cooperative institutions, but available reports attribute the first cooperative RuPay ATM cum debit card to Himachal Pradesh.

Common Pitfalls:
• Assuming that a large or industrially advanced state must automatically be first in every banking innovation. • Confusing commercial bank RuPay launches with cooperative bank milestones, which occurred on different timelines. • Overlooking small states like Himachal Pradesh that often pioneer initiatives despite having smaller banking systems.

Final Answer:
The cooperative bank that first launched its own RuPay ATM cum debit card in India was the state cooperative bank of Himachal Pradesh.