Bharat Taxi Expansion Plan

Union Cooperation Minister launches Bharat Taxi across 14 cities in Gujarat as India’s first cooperative ride-hailing platform. The initiative is supported by the Union Ministry of Cooperation and the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), and provides for a nationwide rollout across all states and cities by 2029.

Bharat Taxi (Cooperative Ride-Hailing Platform):

Dimension	Key Details
Type	Provides for India’s first cooperative ride-hailing platform.
Aim	Provides for ending exploitation by private cab aggregators and fair treatment to both drivers and passengers.
Established in	Has been established in 2025.
Developed by	Is developed by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited.
Support	Is supported by the Union Ministry of Cooperation and the National e-Governance Division (NeGD).
Statutory framework	Is registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002.
Implementation timeline	Provides for a nationwide rollout across all states and cities by 2029.
Strategic backing	Is promoted by 8 apex national cooperative and financial institutions: NCDC, AMUL (GCMMF), IFFCO, KRIBHCO, NAFED, NDDB, NCEL, and NABARD.
Core philosophy	Operates on the principle of “Sarathi Hi Malik” (Driver is the Owner), turning drivers into primary shareholders rather than independent contractors.
Ownership and revenue model	Mandates that drivers are stakeholders, not service providers, and retain full fare under a zero-commission model.
Service categories	Comprises services offered in two-wheelers, auto-rickshaws, and four-wheelers.
Expansion locations and target	Authorises operations to begin in Nagpur, Pune, Mumbai, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Jaipur, and Kolkata, and provides for a target of 500+ cities in 2 years.
Indigenisation	Provides for a homegrown cooperative alternative to foreign investment-based aggregator platforms.
Social security provisions	Provides for health insurance, accident insurance, retirement savings, and a dedicated driver support system for Sarathis.
Safety and flexibility features	Provides for rapid emergency assistance, verified ride data, live tracking, and freedom for drivers to work on multiple platforms without exclusivity restrictions.
Charges	Mandates no platform fee, convenience fee, or commission in-app, and provides for a 7% service charge at airport prepaid booths for operational expenses.
Women empowerment initiative	Comprises the Bike Didi initiative with over 150 women drivers onboarded to promote women’s livelihood and safety.
Linkage with cooperative movement	Comprises a part of “Sahakar Se Samriddhi,” a cooperative movement involving crores of farmers that provides for empowerment through decentralized, inclusive, and transparent cooperatives to boost farmers, workers, and the rural economy.