Gandhinagar: India’s cooperative sector is gearing up to take on ride-hailing giants Ola and Uber with the planned launch of a new taxi service branded ‘Bharat’ by the end of this year. The venture has an authorised capital of Rs 300 crore and has already enrolled 200 drivers across four states.

Registered on June 6, the Multi-State Sahakari Taxi Cooperative Ltd brings together eight major cooperatives, including the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), and the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF).

The project is entirely funded by its member cooperatives, with no government shareholding. Other founding members include Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), and National Cooperative Exports Ltd (NCEL).

So far, around 200 drivers have joined the cooperative, split equally among Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Efforts are underway to bring more cooperative organisations on board to expand the network.

A tender has already been floated to select a technology partner for developing a ride-hailing app, which is expected to be ready by December, according to officials. Furthermore, to shape its marketing strategy, the cooperative has engaged a technology consultant and IIM-Bangalore.

It is noteworthy that last month, Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah announced plans for the cooperative-backed taxi service to start operations by the end of 2025, while unveiling a broader policy for the cooperative sector. DeshGujarat