Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday welcomed the launch of Bharat Taxi, India’s first cooperative-based taxi aggregator, calling it a long-overdue reform in the country’s urban mobility space.
In a post on X, Sarma said the initiative reflects the Centre’s commitment to people-centric reforms and cooperative governance.
“#BharatTaxi is a reform whose time has come. By translating Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji’s vision into action, Hon’ble Union Home & Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji has delivered a cooperative model that puts people, not platforms, at the centre,” the Chief Minister said.
Praising the model, Sarma noted that Bharat Taxi promises affordable mobility for citizens while ensuring fair earnings and dignity for drivers.
“Affordable mobility for citizens, fair earnings and dignity for drivers, and a framework with global relevance,” he added, congratulating the team behind the initiative for redefining urban transport through cooperation.
Bharat Taxi was recently launched by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah as the country’s first taxi aggregator built on a cooperative framework, aimed at shifting ownership and profits towards drivers themselves. Unlike conventional app-based platforms, the model allows drivers—referred to as ‘Sarathis’—to become shareholders by contributing a fixed amount, giving them a direct stake and voice in decision-making.
The launch event witnessed participation from officials of the Ministry of Cooperation and representatives from several states, along with over 1,200 drivers, indicating strong early interest from the workforce the platform seeks to empower.
Currently operating in Delhi-NCR and parts of Gujarat, Bharat Taxi offers two-wheeler, three-wheeler and four-wheeler services. Officials have said the platform aims to expand nationwide within the next three years, with a focus on urban centres and last-mile connectivity.