(Under the Bharat Taxi cooperative model, drivers—termed ‘Sarathis’—are transitioned from gig workers into institutional stakeholders and co-owners. By eliminating surge pricing and hidden fees, the platform delivers transparent, cost-effective transit solutions to commuters while securing equitable financial returns for its operators. Following successful rollouts in Delhi and Gujarat, the expansion into Maharashtra scales up this cooperative enterprise network, fostering regional employment stability and collective economic growth)
BY DEBASHREE CHAKRABORTY
MUMBAI | 23 JULY 2026
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol officially launched the ‘Bharat Taxi’ service at the Navi Mumbai International Airport. Aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sahakar Se Samriddhi’ (Prosperity through Cooperation) under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the initiative introduces an equitable, cooperative mobility model. Instead of treating taxi Sarathis (drivers) as mere workers, this transformative platform makes them primary institutional partners and co-owners of the service.
Maharashtra’s cooperative sector entered a new chapter with the launch of ‘Bharat Taxi’, announced Union Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol. Highlighting the state’s century-old cooperative tradition, Mohol noted that Maharashtra alone houses nearly 2.5 lakh of the country’s 8.60 lakh cooperative societies, underscoring its pivotal role in the national movement.
To strengthen the rural economy and expand cooperative benefits, Prime Minister Narendra Modi created a dedicated Ministry of Cooperation in 2021. Mohol emphasized that under the leadership of Amit Shah, the country’s first Minister of Cooperation, the movement gained fresh momentum, direction, and expansion. He concluded that both the rural economy and cooperatives will be vital in achieving the vision of a developed India by 2047.
Through Maharashtra’s extensive network of cooperative institutions, the Bharat Taxi service is set to expand across the state. The Union Minister of State for Cooperation urged women and youth to join the initiative in large numbers, noting that it will generate fresh employment and self-employment opportunities. He emphasized that the service will make drivers (Sarathis) active partners in both the progress and profits of the cooperative, calling on citizens to become “Sarathis of Cooperation” and “Partners in a Prosperous Maharashtra.”
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis added that this launch reflects a broader cooperative revolution driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah. Following its introduction in Delhi and Gujarat, Bharat Taxi’s arrival in Maharashtra advances a new model of cooperative-driven prosperity. Fadnavis highlighted that ongoing efforts to modernize and bring transparency to cooperative societies—from the village level up—are opening doors for innovative business models, with Bharat Taxi serving as a key pillar of this transformation.
Shri Devendra Fadnavis introduced “Bharat Taxi,” a cooperative model aimed at addressing challenges in app-based transportation, such as surge pricing and high commissions, by transforming drivers into owners and shareholders. This driver-centric platform, operating without surge pricing and via a fixed fee, aims to provide secure, transparent, and high-quality services while creating employment for 3,000 to 4,000 local youth near Navi Mumbai International Airport. The initiative, which includes profit-sharing for “Sarathis” and a focus on safety, will be expanded across Maharashtra in collaboration with local cooperative institutions.
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