Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is preparing to roll out Bharat Taxi scheme, a cooperative-based app-driven cab aggregator service intended to offer an alternative to private platforms such as Ola and Uber.
In response to a inquiry by BJP MLA Tankadhar Tripathi, Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta on Wednesday informed the Odisha Assembly in a written reply that the state government has initiated necessary legal and administrative steps to implement the initiative across major cities.
The scheme, formulated by the Union Ministry of Cooperation and officially launched on February 5, 2026, is designed to operate on lines similar to existing app-based taxi services, allowing passengers to book rides online through a dedicated platform.
The announcement follows recent unrest among local taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers in Bhubaneswar, who staged protests at Lower PMG over fare pricing and commission structures on private aggregator platforms.
By introducing a state-supported framework, Odisha aims to provide an organised, sustainable livelihood model for cab and auto-rickshaw operators while ensuring reliable mobility for the public. The state government is currently reviewing strategies, involving the Ministry of Co-operation and Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies, to facilitate a smooth statewide launch.
The minister stated that the detailed blueprint for introducing Bharat Taxi in Odisha is currently under departmental review. Once launched, the initiative aims to offer a cooperative-backed alternative in the state’s app-based taxi market, with further operational details set to be finalised by the government, he added.
Bharat Taxi Scheme
Bharat Taxi, India’s first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform operated by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited and backed by major national cooperatives including IFFCO, Amul (GCMMF), NABARD and others, follows a driver-centric model under the vision of “Sahkar se Samriddhi.” Drivers, known as Sarathis, can become co-owners by purchasing shares for a nominal amount of around Rs 500 and benefit from a zero-commission structure that allows them to retain the full fare from each ride, along with profit-sharing arrangements in which a significant portion of earnings is distributed based on kilometres driven. The platform emphasises surge-free transparent pricing for passengers, social security benefits such as health and accident insurance, and greater participation for women drivers through initiatives like “Bike Didi” and “Sarathi Didi.”
As of July 25, 2026, Bharat Taxi has scaled across multiple cities, including Delhi-NCR, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh, serving over 800,000 registered drivers and 4.1 million customers, with plans for phased nationwide expansion.
