Bharat Taxi was launched in Maharashtra by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at Navi Mumbai International Airport, marking the cooperative ride hailing platform's entry into the state after rollouts in Delhi and Gujarat. Union Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol and representatives of the cooperative sector, transport organisations and taxi drivers attended the event. The initiative is being advanced under the Ministry of Cooperation as part of the Centre's Sahakar Se Samriddhi vision to promote cooperative models in transportation. Unlike conventional app based taxi aggregators, Bharat Taxi is designed to make drivers, referred to as Sarathis, members, shareholders and owners of the cooperative institution rather than merely service providers. The platform will operate a fixed service fee model intended to eliminate surge pricing, hidden charges and high aggregator commissions. Organisers said the model aims to provide passengers with safe, reliable and transparent transportation while ensuring better financial returns for drivers through profit sharing. The Chief Minister highlighted an agreement with the late D B Patil Cooperative Transport Association under which around 3,000 to 4,000 local youth near Navi Mumbai International Airport are expected to receive credit support to purchase taxis and join the Bharat Taxi platform, creating employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. The Minister noted Maharashtra's cooperative network includes about 0.25 million cooperative societies out of more than 0.86 mn nationwide. The Ministry of Cooperation, established in 2021, has undertaken 152 initiatives and aims to set up 0.2 mn new multipurpose cooperative societies while strengthening Primary Agricultural Credit Societies. Officials said PACS are being computerised with an investment of about Rs 30 billion to broaden services, and nearly 40,000 new cooperative societies have been established. Around 39,000 cooperative bodies run Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samriddhi Kendras and nearly 54,000 PACS function as Common Service Centres. The launch included distribution of share certificates and service kits as the platform seeks to replace intermediary models with a driver owned framework. Bharat Taxi will expand across Maharashtra in phases by onboarding more drivers, women and youth through cooperative partnerships.