Bharat Taxi to Challenge Ola and Uber: Amit Shah
The Government of India has launched Bharat Taxi, a new cooperative-based taxi service aimed at transforming the ride-hailing sector in the country. Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah formally inaugurated the platform on February 5 in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat.
He stated that Bharat Taxi will not only compete with private companies like Ola and Uber but will also provide relief to passengers from surge pricing while ensuring that drivers receive the full benefit of their hard work.
What is Bharat Taxi?
Bharat Taxi is India’s first cooperative-based ride-hailing platform, developed with the support of eight major cooperative institutions: NCDC, IFFCO, Amul (GCMMF), KRIBHCO, NAFED, NABARD, NDDB, and NCEL.
The platform is operated by Sahkar Taxi Cooperative Limited, which was registered on June 6, 2025, under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act.
Inspired by the Amul Model
Addressing the launch event, Amit Shah cited the example of the Amul cooperative model, which began with just 11 dairy farmers and today empowers millions of women economically. He expressed confidence that Bharat Taxi would similarly transform the economic lives of drivers across India.
He said that within three years, Bharat Taxi would expand from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Dwarka to Kamakhya, becoming a major welfare platform for taxi drivers, especially in smaller cities.
Driver Ownership and Earnings
Amit Shah emphasized that the biggest difference between Bharat Taxi and private ride-hailing companies is its ownership structure. Drivers are not just service providers but also owners of the platform.
Out of every ₹100 earned, ₹80 is directly credited to the driver’s account, while the remaining ₹20 also belongs to the drivers as part of the cooperative’s shared ownership.
The objective of Bharat Taxi is not capital accumulation but increasing the income of driver-members. Unlike private companies, there are no external investors seeking profit.
Surge-Free and Affordable Rides
Bharat Taxi operates on a completely surge-free model. Even during high demand, passengers will not be charged inflated fares. This ensures affordability and transparency.
Passengers can book cars, auto-rickshaws, and two-wheelers through the platform.
During the pilot phase, the success of Bharat Taxi forced competing platforms to revise their commission structures and offers, Amit Shah noted.
Driver Income and Social Security
Since the pilot operations began in December 2025, more than 300,000 drivers have joined the platform. In Delhi-NCR and Gujarat, over 10,000 rides are completed daily, and nearly ₹100 crore has been directly distributed to drivers.
Bharat Taxi drivers are referred to as “Sarathis”. The platform also provides social security benefits, including health and accident insurance through IFFCO-Tokio General Insurance Company.
Additional benefits include retirement savings schemes and dedicated support centers. In Delhi alone, seven support centers are already operational.