Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah formally launched India’s first cooperative-based taxi service ‘Bharat Taxi’

Newdelhi:5/2/26:Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah today 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.

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.

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.