8 cooperatives joined hands to start ‘Bharat’ cab service, know when the services will start

India’s cooperative sector is set to challenge giants like Ola and Uber by launching cab service under the Bharat brand by the end of this year. This cab service has an authorized capital of Rs 300 crore and 200 drivers have already been included in 4 states. The Multi-State Cooperative Cab Cooperative Limited, registered on June 6, represents a union of a total of 8 major cooperatives including National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) and Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF).

Main objective to provide safe and affordable services to passengers

Last month, Union Cooperative Minister Amit Shah, while unveiling a comprehensive cooperative policy for the sector, indicated that a cooperative cab service would be launched by the end of 2025. “The main objective is to ensure better returns to drivers and provide quality, safe and affordable services to passengers,” NCDC Deputy Managing Director Rohit Gupta told PTI. The venture operates without any government stake and is fully funded by participating cooperatives. Its founding members also include Krishak Bharati Sahakari Ltd (KRIBHCO), National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), and National Cooperative Exports Ltd (NCEL).

200 drivers joined from Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra and UP

Rohit Gupta said that about 200 drivers have already joined the cooperative, 50 each from Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The cooperative is actively approaching other cooperative organisations to expand its network. The cooperative has issued a tender to select a tech partner to develop a ‘ride-hailing’ app. Gupta said, “We will finalise the tech partner in a few days.”

The app will be ready by December

He further said that the app is expected to be ready by December. A tech consultant and Indian Institute of Management (IIM)-Bangalore have been roped in to prepare the marketing strategy for this all-India platform. The service will adopt a cooperative pricing model and membership drives are currently underway to scale up operations. The move comes at a time when the cooperative sector seeks to leverage its collective strength to compete with established private players in the fast-growing ride-hailing market.