Lok Sabha Question No. 3969 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-17
Subject: Operation of Bharat Taxi
Ministry: COOPERATION
Asked by: Prof. Sougata Ray

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COOPERATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3969 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 th  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 5 th 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 in

a 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.

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