Union Home inaugurates India’s first cooperative-based taxi service under PM Modi’s vision; ‘Sarathi Didi’ initiative ensures safe, affordable, and dignified travel for women

New Delhi, Feb 5: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Thursday formally launched India’s first cooperative-based taxi service, ‘Bharat Taxi’, in New Delhi, marking a historic step towards driver empowerment, women’s safety, and the expansion of the cooperative movement into new sectors.

As per news agency JKNS, Shah formally launched India’s first cooperative-based taxi service ‘Bharat Taxi’ in New Delhi. On this occasion, Union Minister of State for Cooperation Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar and Shri Murlidhar Mohol, and Cooperation Secretary Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, along with several dignitaries, were present. More than 1,200 “Sarathis” (driver partners) from various States participated in this historic programme, reflecting broad support for Bharat Taxi’s driver-empowerment and cooperative-ownership-based model.

Addressing the programme, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the Ministry of Cooperation is developing an ownership-rights model for people working in the unorganised sector. He said that within three years, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Dwarka to Kamakhya, Sahakar Taxi will become a very big medium for the welfare of our taxi Sarathis. Shri Shah said that when he first raised the subject of Sahakar Taxi before Parliament, many people—especially companies connected with taxi operations—questioned why the government was entering the taxi sector. He said such people do not know the difference between ‘Sahakar’ (cooperation) and ‘Sarkar’ (government). Shri Shah said the government is not entering the taxi sector; rather, cooperation (Cooperation) is entering the taxi sector.

Union Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah said that perhaps for the first time in the whole world, such a unique company is coming into existence whose real owner is neither any individual nor any external company, but the Sarathi who drives the taxi. Every Sarathi brother-sister associated with Sahakar Taxi is the true owner of this cooperative taxi society. He said this concept will bring a fundamental transformation in the life, self-confidence, and economic condition of the Sarathis who join Sahakar Taxi. Shri Shah also said that many such models have succeeded in our country earlier. Only 11 milk producers started Amul. Today, in Gujarat, a huge banyan tree of more than 36 lakh women livestock-rearers has taken shape. These women livestock-rearers do business worth more than one lakh twenty-five thousand crore rupees. He said this model shows that when ordinary people themselves become owners, even a small beginning can yield very big results. He said that today, women livestock-rearers are earning up to one crore rupees annually by selling milk, which is the marvel of the cooperative model.

Shri Amit Shah appealed to taxi Sarathis that they are driving taxis now; they will continue to drive taxis even after joining Sahakar Taxi, but there will be one major difference between the two. He said that at present, the wheel of the taxi puts money into someone else’s pocket, but now the earnings from the wheel of the Sarathis’ taxis will go into the Sarathis’ own pockets. He said this idea is born from the spirit of cooperation. The real meaning of cooperation is that when many people with small amounts of capital pool their strength, they can together accomplish very big tasks. Those with very large capital do big work alone and the profit also remains limited to only a few people. Shri Shah said that the cooperative model being discussed today is the newest and most successful beginning in today’s time. He said now the wheel of the taxi will not run for someone else’s earnings, but for the prosperity and well-being of taxi Sarathis.

Union Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah said that many world-class cooperative models have already been built in India, including Amul, IFFCO, KRIBHCO and similar institutions. He said none of these cooperative institutions had very large initial capital. Similarly, in Sahakar Taxi, the highest share capital is only 500 rupees, and that very 500 rupees is giving Sarathis the status of real owners. He said this small amount is going to become the foundation of the taxi Sarathis’ hard work, self-respect, and economic freedom.

Shri Amit Shah said that after elections held every five years, two representatives chosen by taxi Sarathis will sit on the Board. They will look after their interests and take decisions for them. This is the soul of cooperatives and the spirit of true ownership rights. He said Sahakar Taxi will keep only 20 percent of the total profit with itself; that is, out of 100 rupees, Sahakar Taxi will keep only 20 rupees with itself—whose owners are Sarathis themselves. Shri Shah said the entire profit will go into the account of the Sarathi associated with Bharat Taxi. He said the owners of the 20 rupees that remain in Bharat Taxi’s capital account will also be Sarathis themselves.

The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that Bharat Taxi has been conceptualised by bringing together all three existing types of taxi vehicles, including four-wheeler taxis, three-wheelers, and two-wheelers. He conveyed a message to the nation’s Matri Shakti that Bharat Taxi will accord the highest priority to their safety. He said we have prepared a special concept of Sarathi Didi under which, in the coming time, there will be a separate window for ‘Sarathi Didi’ in the app, through which any woman who registers will be picked up only by ‘Sarathi Didis’. Shri Shah said ‘Sarathi Didis’ will arrive on two-wheelers and will safely take women to their destination at a very low fare. He said this facility will prove to be a very big and practical relief for women. In the coming days, through Sarathi Didi, the nation’s Matri Shakti will have access to an option of safe, affordable, and dignified travel. This is not merely a service, but an important step towards women’s safety, self-reliance, and dignity.

The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that Bharat Taxi has entered into agreements (MoUs) with a total of nine major institutions including Delhi Traffic Police, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Airport Authority, IFFCO Tokio Insurance, State Bank of India. Through these agreements, Bharat Taxi’s customers will get many additional facilities, and at the same time, all these institutions will be able to avail Bharat Taxi’s services easily. He said these institutions have now become stakeholders in Sahakar Taxi’s success. This new taxi concept based on an ownership model has been launched for the first time in India today, which not only brings the spirit of ownership rights for Sarathis, but also presents a reliable and convenient option for passengers and various institutions.

Shri Amit Shah said that the fixed charge decided by Bharat Taxi will remain separate from the Sarathis’ account. Besides this, Bharat Taxi will not deduct even one percent commission from the sweat-earned income of Sarathis, due to which their prosperity will increase rapidly. He said the objective of Bharat Taxi is not to increase the company’s capital, but to increase the profit and income of Bharat Taxi’s real owners—the Sarathi brothers and Sarathi Didis. Shri Shah said the payment made by the customer will be transferred directly and immediately, automatically, into the Sarathi’s account. There will be no need to wait for this. No Sarathi’s account will be closed without proper hearing. However, Sarathis also have a responsibility to behave well with customers, maintain the goodwill of their taxi, and focus on service quality. He said a complete system has been put in place for hearing complaints, and action will be taken only after a fair hearing.

Union Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah said that until now, terms like booking fee, platform fee, and heavy commission used to fatten the company’s balance sheet and reduce the Sarathi’s earnings. In Bharat Taxi, there is no arrangement for any such fee or commission, and Sarathis themselves will be the owners. This idea may not be understood by people with a western mindset, but this is the real strength of cooperation.

Shri Amit Shah said that the beginning of Bharat Taxi is also the beginning of opening new dimensions for the cooperative sector. The cooperative movement has been running in India for the last 125 years, but now the time has come to take the cooperative model into newer and newer sectors. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the Ministry of Cooperation is preparing an ownership-rights model for people working in the unorganised sector. In the coming time, we will take this model forward in three to four such sectors where the fruits of the sweat and hard work of the person who works will remain with that person.

The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that the four core mantras of Bharat Taxi are—Ownership, Security Cover, Dignity, and “Everyone’s Wheel, Everyone’s Progress”, i.e., fair distribution of dividends for all. With these four objectives, Bharat Taxi has been started, and in the coming time it will prove to be a very successful experiment. He said it was established on 6 June 2025 and from today it is being commercially launched. Within just 8 months, in Delhi and Gujarat, more Sarathis and customers have joined Bharat Taxi than any other taxi company. No other company has achieved registrations on such a large scale in such a short time. He said that in the coming days, our Sarathi brothers and sisters will automatically be able to get the benefit of insurance, government employment schemes, loans, subsidies, and all government schemes related to gig workers. We are continuously working in this direction so that every Sarathi gets full dignity, security, and economic strength.

Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji had started an important initiative in 2020-21 for the welfare of gig workers. Now, in the 2025-26 budget, the Government of India has brought many schemes and facilities for more than one crore twenty-five lakh gig workers across the country. Earlier, the right to register on the e-Shram portal was only for those whose pension used to be deducted or who were formally recognised and registered as workers. Now, by removing this limit, one crore twenty-five lakh gig workers of the country can register themselves on the e-Shram portal. He said that all Sarathis associated with Bharat Taxi can now easily get registered on the e-Shram portal. After registration, they will automatically get free treatment up to five lakh rupees for themselves and their family under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. As soon as they join Bharat Taxi, Sarathis will start getting this free medical facility. In addition, several other social security schemes available for workers registered on the e-Shram portal will also automatically become active for you.

The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that Bharat Taxi’s model will not only strengthen the economic condition of Sarathis, but will also ensure their dignity, security, and ownership. He said that the facility of SOS alert has been made available in the Bharat Taxi app, through which security and assistance can be obtained immediately in an emergency. At present, eight helplines and assistance centres have been established in Delhi-NCR, and in the coming time, an extensive network of such centres will be laid across the country. The entire grievance redressal process will be operated at three levels—through the app, on the website, and through a toll-free number. Along with this, our representatives will regularly meet with Sarathis so that every problem can be resolved on time. He said that from today Sarathis are completely free from hidden charges. Taking hidden charges is a kind of deception with the Sarathi. There will also be freedom from toll, parking and all other additional charges. Also, a 24 hours, seven days helpline will always be available for Sarathis. For now, it is beginning in some cities of Gujarat, Delhi and NCR. But in less than the next three years, we will reach every State and every big city of the country.

Union Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah said that in the coming days, we will include many new services in Bharat Taxi and expand it continuously. He conveyed a message to all customers and Sarathis of Delhi-NCR that from today Bharat Taxi is fully starting in their service. This is not just a taxi service, but is going to become a strong medium to increase the prosperity, self-respect, and economic strength of crores of Sarathis of our country. He said that so far, more than 2.5 lakh drivers in Delhi-NCR have joined Bharat Taxi, more than 8.5 lakh passengers have become part of this family, and our agreements with several big companies are also in the final stage. He expressed confidence that Bharat Taxi’s future is very bright.

Earlier in the day, Bharat Taxi’s launch was symbolically marked by a grand rally of 100 cars from Indira Gandhi International Airport to Vigyan Bhawan. This rally presented a strong display of unity, pride, and collective strength of the country’s taxi community.

During the programme, the top five Sarathis with outstanding performance were felicitated for their notable contribution, to encourage driver ownership and participation under the cooperative model. Each honoured Sarathi was provided personal accident insurance certificates and family health insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh, reflecting Bharat Taxi’s commitment to driver welfare and social security.

During the programme, in the presence of the Union Home and Cooperation Minister, nine Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were also exchanged with leading public and private partners, with the objective of strengthening operational integration, digital enablement, and service quality.

Under the MoU signed between Delhi Traffic Police and Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, Bharat Taxi will be permitted to digitally operate 34 prepaid taxi booths across 21 locations in Delhi, thereby enhancing passenger safety, transparency, driver income, and service quality. With the support of Delhi Traffic Police, Bharat Taxi has also established a Joint Command and Control Centre, which includes real-time ride monitoring, SOS alerts, and rapid emergency response mechanisms, promoting road safety, regulatory compliance, and commuter security.

Under the MoU with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), MeitY, advisory and technical support will be provided to Bharat Taxi under the Digital India framework, enabling integration with DigiLocker, UMANG, and API Setu. This will provide Sarathis with paperless onboarding, unified access to government services, secure interoperable operations, cashless payments, and improved operational efficiency.

Under the partnership with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), last-mile connectivity will be provided at 10 major metro stations through bike taxis, e-autos/CNG autos, and cabs, allowing passengers to plan and pay for end-to-end journeys on a single platform, while enabling higher trip volumes and reduced idle time for drivers.

The MoU with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will regulate Bharat Taxi operations at AAI airports nationwide, including pickup zones, signage permissions, and strict security and service standards, thereby enabling regulated airport operations across India.

Under the agreement with Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation / Delhi Airport Parking Services (DAPS – GMR supported), Bharat Taxi’s white cab services have been permitted at multiple parking locations across IGI Airport terminals. DAPS will provide a 20% discount on the ₹245 per-trip pickup fee for the first year, which will complement Bharat Taxi’s Kaali Peeli services and significantly increase airport ride volumes and revenues.

IFFCO Tokio has been onboarded as Bharat Taxi’s insurance partner, providing personal accident cover of ₹5 lakh for drivers at nominal rates, along with advisory support for long-term driver welfare and insurance solutions.

Under the MoU with Paytm, digital payments, co-branded offerings, and fintech enablement will be enabled, including payment gateway integration and access to Paytm’s partner ecosystem. Paytm is also supporting driver group health insurance with family coverage.

The partnership with GMR will further strengthen airport mobility operations and reinforce Bharat Taxi’s regulated access and service expansion at IGI Airport terminals.

Under the MoU signed with SBI, priority financing will be made available for commercial passenger vehicles under schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana. Sahakar Taxi will identify and support eligible driver-owners, while SBI will ensure expeditious consideration in line with its prevailing guidelines. (JKNS)