Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Monday outlined the benefits for the cab drivers associated with the recently launched Bharat Taxi, a government-backed cooperative ride-hailing platform. In an interaction with cab drivers registered with Bharat Taxi in Delhi, Shah said that drivers will enjoy a share in profits and part-ownership of the platform.
“You only need to invest Rs 500,” Shah said, addressing drivers called Saathis. Interacting with drivers from Delhi-NCR and Gujarat, the Home Minister said the platform has been built on the principle that the drivers will not merely work for the company, they will also own it.
"The purpose of running those companies is to make the owners rich. Our purpose is also to make the owners rich. The only difference is that you are the owner,” he said.
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He advised drivers to wait patiently, outlining that after the initial years, once the platform earns profits, drivers will also get a share while enjoying co-ownership.
“Suppose Bharat Taxi earns Rs 25 crore, then 20% of this Rs 25 crore, that is Rs 5 crore, will be deposited in Bharat Taxi's account as your capital, and 80% will be deposited back in your account based on how many kilometres the taxi has driven. Right now, you are going to get the fixed rent. But you are the owner, so you should have a share in the profit as well. So, this share is going to come, but you will have to be patient for the first three years,” he said.
Shah explained the rationale behind Bharat Taxi. "Why did we come up with the idea of Bharat Taxi? You said that there were a lot of complaints, 30% was deducted, and there was no certainty."
He pointed out that drivers under conventional platforms often face high commission deductions and uncertain earnings. Bharat Taxi aims to fix these issues by providing transparency, stability, and a share of profits.
Bharat Taxi was launched by Amit Shah as India's first cooperative-based ride-hailing platform on Feb. 5 at a ceremony at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Delhi Traffic Police and Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Ltd., Bharat Taxi will operate 34 prepaid taxi booths across 21 locations in Delhi.
The platform also has a Joint Command and Control Centre, which includes real-time ride monitoring, SOS alerts, and rapid emergency response mechanisms to improve road safety, commuter security, and regulatory compliance.
Also Read: Amit Shah Launches Bharat Taxi: How Is It Different From Ola, Uber? All You Need To Know
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