- Bharat Taxi launched in Maharashtra at Navi Mumbai International Airport.
- Cooperative model makes drivers owners and shareholders of the platform.
- Service promises no surge pricing or hidden charges.
- Initiative aims to create employment for youth, women and local communities.
GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 23rd July: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol on Thursday launched the Bharat Taxi service in Maharashtra, introducing a cooperative-based mobility platform aimed at creating employment while ensuring fair earnings for drivers.
The service was launched at Navi Mumbai International Airport under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sahakar Se Samriddhi” and the leadership of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.
Speaking at the launch, Mohol said Bharat Taxi marks a new chapter in Maharashtra’s cooperative movement and will create fresh employment opportunities for youth, women and local communities. He urged more people to become “Sarathis of Cooperation” and partners in building a prosperous Maharashtra.
Unlike conventional app-based taxi aggregators, Bharat Taxi follows a cooperative model in which Sarathis (drivers) are not merely service providers but also owners, members and shareholders of the institution, making them partners in its profits.
Chief Minister Fadnavis said the initiative addresses long-standing issues such as surge pricing, hidden charges and high aggregator commissions. The service will operate on a transparent fare structure with a fixed service fee, ensuring affordable rides for passengers and fair returns for drivers.
He said the platform would also prioritise passenger safety, transparent pricing and quality service, particularly for women commuters.
Fadnavis announced that, through an agreement with the D.B. Patil Cooperative Transport Association, efforts would be made to provide taxis through credit support to around 3,000 to 4,000 local youth living near the Navi Mumbai International Airport, creating new opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship.
Addressing Parliament’s broader cooperative agenda, Mohol said the Ministry of Cooperation has taken 152 major decisions since its formation in 2021 to strengthen the sector, including the India Space? (No—source does not mention this.) He highlighted initiatives such as the National Cooperation Policy, expansion of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), and establishment of national cooperative institutions for seeds, organic farming and exports.
During the programme, share certificates and service kits were distributed to Bharat Taxi Sarathis. Following its rollout in Delhi and Gujarat, the service will now be expanded across Maharashtra in phases through the state’s cooperative institutions and transport organisations.
