Match List I with List II

LIST I

(A) Mahanadi (B) Godavari (C) Sutlej (D) Gomti

LIST II

(I) Ludhiana (II) Cuttack (III) Lucknow (IV) Nashik

Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

The correct option is A-II, B-IV, C-I, D-III.

This question asks us to match the major rivers listed in List I with the prominent cities situated on their banks listed in List II. Let us analyze each river-city pair step-by-step:
1. (A) Mahanadi: The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. The historic city of Cuttack in Odisha is located at the apex of the Mahanadi river delta. Therefore, (A) matches with (II).
2. (B) Godavari: The Godavari is the second-longest river in India. It originates in Trimbakeshwar, near Nashik in Maharashtra, and the city of Nashik is situated on its banks. Therefore, (B) matches with (IV).
3. (C) Sutlej: The Sutlej is the easternmost tributary of the Indus River. Ludhiana, a major industrial city in Punjab, is located near the old bank of the Sutlej River. Therefore, (C) matches with (I).
4. (D) Gomti: The Gomti is a monsoon- and groundwater-fed river that is a tributary of the Ganges. Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, is situated on the banks of the Gomti River. Therefore, (D) matches with (III).

Combining these matching pairs, we get:
A-II, B-IV, C-I, D-III