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Drivers of app-based taxis and autorickshaws on Saturday observed a day-long strike in Maharashtra and other parts of the country to draw the government's attention to various demands, including a ban on "illegal" bike taxis and action against "arbitrary" fare policy. The protest affected commuters to some extent as most of the cabs and rickshaws linked to aggregator apps remained off roads. State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik warned of taking action against the ride aggregator companies if they behave unfairly with the drivers and indulge in "injustice" against them. He said the government was ready to support the drivers on their genuine issues. Maharashtra Kamgar Sabha (MKS), a union that had given the strike call, claimed the protest was "successful" as most of the drivers "spontaneously" participated in the strike in Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad and other regions in the state. It warned to intensify the agitation if their demands were ignored. MKS' head Dr Kesh
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 ..