Union Minister for Home Affairs and Cooperation Amit Shah.
Credit: PTI photo
Panchkula: Union Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the government plans to launch a ride-hailing mobility app Bharat Taxi in one or two months to eliminate the dependency of commercial vehicle drivers on private companies.
Speaking at an event in Panchkula, the Home and Cooperation Minister also said the government has strengthened the agriculture base and has been working to make farmers prosperous through the cooperative movement.
The new agriculture policy focuses on reducing the use of water and chemicals in agriculture, Shah said while addressing the Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited (KRIBHCO) conference on 'Prosperity through Cooperation - Role of Cooperatives in Sustainable Agriculture'. The government is planning to launch the 'Bharat Taxi' in the cooperative sector in one or two months, he added.
"There is a big section of drivers, auto drivers, and youths who operate their motorcycles as taxis in the country. There are many companies in the country which are engaged in the operation of taxis, but the profit goes to owners, not taxi drivers," he said, adding that it will aim at eliminating the dependency of commercial vehicle drivers on private companies.
Through the initiative of the cooperation ministry, he said, "We will bring Bharat Taxi in one or two months, and each penny of profit will go to drivers".
This will open up several new employment opportunities for taxi drivers, he said.
They will receive insurance facilities, advertisements will be on their taxis, and ultimately, all profits will go to them.
The Cooperation Minister said this will enhance customer convenience while making taxi drivers prosperous.
Shah expressed confidence that it will soon become India's number one taxi operating company.
The Bharat Taxi app will be operated by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Ltd, a multi-state cooperative society, registered under the MSCS Act 2002 on June 6, 2025, Shah had earlier said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi strengthened the foundation of agriculture and utilised their strength through cooperation to make farmers prosperous.
Agriculture must gradually move towards sustainable farming, which ensures sustainable profits, he added.
For this purpose, the government has worked to promote different verticals like water and soil conservation, their testing, organic farming, climate-resilient agriculture, the Digital Agriculture Mission and cooperation, he said.
Shah said that model by-laws have been prepared for Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), and certificates of multipurpose PACS have been issued to farmers.
Distribution of fertiliser, water and pesticides, along with cleaning, grading, and marketing of agricultural produce, medicine shops, petrol pumps, and gas agencies have all been linked with PACS.
Shah said that Haryana is today writing new dimensions of farmers' prosperity through the collaboration between agriculture and cooperatives.
"We all know 70 per cent of our population resides in villages. A big chunk of our population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture and animal husbandry for livelihood." If agriculture and animal husbandry are viewed as independent businesses, these sectors provide employment to a large number of people, the minister said.
Agriculture and animal husbandry generate maximum employment. If we connect cooperatives with these two sectors, along with employment, it can make the people prosperous, he said.
He underscored how cooperatives can transform the lives of women in rural hinterland, citing Amul in Gujarat, which distributes Rs 90,000 crore to 36 lakh women milk producers each year.
If the same quantity of milk were sold at market prices, it would fetch only Rs 12,000 crore, Shah said, adding that the difference between Rs 12,000 crore and Rs 90,000 crore reflects the strength of cooperation.
That is why it is said that by linking animal husbandry, agriculture, and cooperation, 'Prosperity through Cooperation' can be achieved.
The agriculture budget of the country used to be Rs 22,000 crore in 2014 before Modi became the Prime Minister, which is now Rs 1.27 lakh crore, Shah said.
About cooperative Amul, he said, when it was set up, it used to collect 2,000 litres of milk daily, and now it collects crores of litres of milk throughout the country.
"I have full belief that 15 years down the line, the country will have at least 20 cooperatives like Amul," Shah said.
On this occasion, Shah inaugurated the Milk Cooling Centre, Salempur (Bhiwani) Plant and the HAFED Atta Mill at Jatusana (Rewari) virtually from Panchkula.
He also distributed RuPay Platinum Debit Cards to beneficiaries of cooperative banks of Haryana and registration certificates to presidents of multipurpose cooperative societies established by Haryana KRIBHCO.
On the occasion, Shah also inaugurated a portal showcasing various activities being undertaken during the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC).
He praised the Nayab Singh Saini government for procuring 24 crops at the minimum support price.
Saini was also present on the occasion.
The money for the procured crops of farmers is transferred into their bank accounts within 48 hours, Shah said.
He said that the Haryana government has given the highest prices to sugarcane farmers, and the Nayab Singh Saini government has made Haryana's farmers prosperous.
Shah said that Haryana has always played a significant role in ensuring the country's food security, milk production, and in bringing a stream of medals for the nation in sports.