India’s first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform, Bharat Taxi, has onboarded 3.76 lakh drivers, Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah informed the Rajya Sabha.
In a written reply, the Minister said the platform aims to empower drivers, referred to as “Sarathis”, by making them stakeholders in ownership and governance. Registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, Bharat Taxi was established on June 6, 2025, and launched on February 5, 2026.
The platform operates on a zero-commission, subscription-based model, enabling drivers to retain full fare earnings, while ensuring transparent pricing for passengers without surge charges or hidden fees.
The government said the initiative promotes fair earnings, participatory decision-making and social security access for drivers, along with safe and affordable mobility solutions supported by features such as real-time tracking and multilingual interfaces.
The initiative aligns with the Centre’s ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’ vision to strengthen the cooperative sector.
