Parliament Question: Operation of Bharat Taxi

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COOPERATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3969 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17th MARCH 2026 Operation of Bharat Taxi 3969. Prof. Sougata Roy: Will the Minister of COOPERATION (सहकारिता मंत्री) be pleased to state: (a) the details of the operation and management of the proposed Bharat Taxi in the country; (b) the details of the charges to be paid for travel by Bharat Taxi; (c) the details of the verification of the credentials of the drivers/Sarathis of Bharat Taxi; and (d) the details of steps taken to ensure the project as one of the most transparent cab service globally? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF COOPERATION सहकारिता मंत्री (SHRI AMIT SHAH) (a) Bharat Taxi is a major milestone in the Government of India’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the cooperative sector and promote inclusive, citizen-centric mobility solutions, in line with the vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’. Registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, Bharat Taxi was established on 6 June 2025 by 8 national level institutions working in field of cooperatives and officially launched on 5th February, 2026. Bharat Taxi is a transition from the conventional “driver-partner” model to a “Sarathi-owner” model wherein drivers can become owner of the cooperative society, have representation in Board of Management and participate in profit sharing while having professional management to oversee operations. The Bharat Taxi platform operates on zero-commission model, with direct distribution of profits to drivers, offering a homegrown and indigenous alternative to investment-driven aggregator platforms. Bharat Taxi has transparent fare structure, a user-friendly mobile ride-booking interface, real-time vehicle tracking, and support for multilingual interfaces, along with 24/7 customer support. Bharat Taxi is currently operational in Delhi NCR – Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Somnath & Dwarka of Gujarat. Bharat Taxi targets to expand its service ina phased manner across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities offering services upto tehsil levels across the country over the next three years. (b) The charges for travel under Bharat Taxi are determined by the cooperative society based on operational costs, distance travelled and prevailing market conditions so as to facilitate the best possible matching between drivers and riders. The pricing mechanism is designed to ensure transparent and regulated fares, with periodic review and communication of fare structures to all stakeholders. (c) Driver members (Sarathis) are enrolled in accordance with the eligibility criteria prescribed in the bye-laws of the Society. Drivers must be above 18 years of age, possess a valid driving license and comply with the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act & relevant transport regulations. Applications for membership are submitted digitally and reviewed by the Society. Mandatory onboarding and training programs covering platform usage, safety protocols and customer service standards are also conducted before enrolment. (d) The project incorporates several measures to ensure transparency and accountability, including: ● operation under the cooperative structure with Board having driver representation with democratic oversight by members; ● transparent fare determination and periodic price review mechanisms; ● a digital platform enabling real-time booking, vehicle tracking and customer feedback; ● provisions for passenger grievance redressal mechanisms; and ● periodic financial audits and regulatory compliance under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002. Additionally, the platform has entered into Memoranda of Understanding with institutions for digital payment integration, banking and financial services and insurance support to drivers to strengthen operational transparency and driver welfare. *****