Eight cooperatives to launch Bharat taxi service, onboard 200 drivers

India's cooperative sector is set to challenge ride-hailing giants Ola and Uber with the launch of a taxi service under the brand Bharat by the end of this year, backed by Rs 300 crore authorised capital and having already onboarded 200 drivers across four states.

The Multi-State Sahakari Taxi Cooperative Ltd, registered on June 6, represents a consortium of eight prominent cooperatives, including the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), and Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF).

Last month, Cooperation Minister Amit Shah had indicated that a cooperative taxi service will be launched by the end of 2025, while unveiling a comprehensive cooperative policy for the sector.

"The key objective is to ensure better returns to drivers and provide quality, safe and affordable services to passengers," NCDC Deputy Managing Director Rohit Gupta told PTI.

The venture operates without any government stake, being entirely funded by the participating cooperatives. The founding members also include Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), and National Cooperative Exports Ltd (NCEL).

Around 200 drivers have already joined the cooperative, with 50 each from Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. The cooperative is actively reaching out to other cooperative organisations to expand the network, he said.

The cooperative has floated a tender to select a technology partner for developing the ride-hailing application. "We will finalise the technology partner in a few days," Gupta said, adding that the app is expected to be ready by December.

A technology consultant and IIM-Bangalore have been roped in to formulate the marketing strategy for the pan-India platform, which will operate as a single app across the country.

The service will adopt a cooperative pricing model, with membership drives currently underway to scale operations.

The move comes as the cooperative sector seeks to leverage its collective strength to compete with established private players in the rapidly growing ride-hailing market.