Bharat Taxi launches in UP with zero commission, ₹5 lakh cover for drivers
Synopsis
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has handed gig drivers something private aggregators never did — zero commission and a ₹5 lakh safety net — while simultaneously slashing farm loan rates by nearly half. Launched in four cities on 23 September, Bharat Taxi is both a welfare scheme and a direct challenge to commercial ride-hailing platforms operating in India's most populous state.
Key Takeaways
Bharat Taxi launched by CM Yogi Adityanath on 23 September 2026 in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Prayagraj .
Drivers operate on a zero-commission model and receive social security cover of up to ₹5 lakh .
Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana cuts cooperative farm loan interest rates from 11% to 6% .
PACS interest-free cash credit facility raised from ₹10 lakh to ₹15 lakh .
15 of 16 previously defunct UP cooperative banks have returned to profitability since 2017 .
54 lakh new members have joined the cooperative sector under the current UP government.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, launched Bharat Taxi and the Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana in Lucknow, rolling out a zero-commission ride-hailing model for taxi, two-wheeler and three-wheeler drivers alongside a cut in farm credit costs. The twin launches mark a significant policy push by the Uttar Pradesh government to extend institutional benefits to gig-economy workers and cooperative-sector farmers simultaneously.
How Bharat Taxi Works
Under Bharat Taxi, drivers of taxis, two-wheelers and three-wheelers can register on the platform and operate without paying any commission — a direct contrast to the fee structures of private aggregators. Registered drivers will additionally receive social security coverage of up to ₹5 lakh, according to the state government. The service has been operationalised in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Prayagraj.
Memoranda of understanding have been signed with Lucknow Airport, Lucknow Metro and Lucknow Police to support the platform's operations. Bharat Taxi CEO Colonel Himanshu and Adani Airport Lucknow Chief Commercial Officer Shiv Mohan exchanged MoUs at the event. Union Minister of State for Cooperation and Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol joined Yogi Adityanath in formally flagging off the service.
CM Yogi handed over share certificates to five Saarthis — the platform's registered driver-partners — at the launch. 'Bharat Taxi is not merely a taxi that carries passengers. It is a taxi of India, which will work to transform India's speed into progress,' Yogi said at the event.
Farmers to Pay 6% Instead of 11% on Cooperative Loans
The Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana cuts the interest rate on loans disbursed to farmers through the Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Rural Development Bank from 11 per cent to 6 per cent — a reduction of 5 percentage points. The interest-free cash credit facility available to Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) has also been raised from ₹10 lakh to ₹15 lakh.
CM Yogi launched the Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Portal app and the UPCDC platform, along with a mobile application for fertiliser services and a Cooperative Data Centre app, aimed at digitising access to fertilisers, pesticides and banking services for farmers. Five beneficiaries received loan sanction letters at the ceremony.
Turnaround of Cooperative Banks
Yogi cited progress in the cooperative banking sector, noting that 16 cooperative banks had lost their licences before 2017 with thousands of crores in farmer deposits locked inside them. He said 15 of the 16 banks have since returned to profitability, with efforts ongoing for the remaining institution. He also noted that 54 lakh new members have joined the cooperative sector during his tenure.
Referring to the Prayagraj Mahakumbh 2025, Yogi pointed to motorcycle-taxi platforms such as Rapido that helped ferry devotees between the Sangam, the railway station and the airport — framing Bharat Taxi as a formalisation of that model at scale.
What Comes Next
CM Yogi directed Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh to study whether the Bharat Taxi cooperative model could be extended to rural bus services, arguing that such expansion could generate employment for lakhs of young people across the state. The government's digital push — covering fertiliser delivery, cooperative banking and ride-hailing — signals a broader attempt to weave Uttar Pradesh's informal and rural economies into formal institutional networks.
Point of View
But the real test is whether a state-backed cooperative can deliver the reliability and scale that commercial platforms have built over a decade. The ₹5 lakh social security cover addresses a genuine gap for gig workers, yet it mirrors the language of several earlier state-run schemes whose implementation lagged the announcement. The farm loan rate cut from 11% to 6% is substantive — roughly halving interest costs — but its reach depends on how many farmers actually access credit through UP's cooperative banks rather than informal lenders. The simultaneous digitisation push across fertilisers, banking and ride-hailing is ambitious; Uttar Pradesh's record on state-run app ecosystems will determine whether these platforms gain traction or remain underused.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bharat Taxi and how does it work in Uttar Pradesh?
Bharat Taxi is a state-backed ride-hailing platform launched by UP CM Yogi Adityanath on 23 September 2026, allowing taxi, two-wheeler and three-wheeler drivers to register and operate without paying any commission. Registered drivers also receive social security coverage of up to ₹5 lakh. The service is currently live in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Prayagraj.
What social security benefits do Bharat Taxi drivers receive?
Drivers registered on the Bharat Taxi platform are entitled to social security coverage of up to ₹5 lakh, according to the Uttar Pradesh state government. The benefit is designed to give drivers greater financial confidence and stability, according to CM Yogi Adityanath.
What is the Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana?
It is a UP government scheme that reduces the interest rate on farmer loans through the Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Rural Development Bank from 11% to 6%. Launched on 23 September 2026, it also raises the interest-free cash credit limit for Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies from ₹10 lakh to ₹15 lakh.
Which cities does Bharat Taxi currently operate in?
Bharat Taxi has been launched in four Uttar Pradesh cities: Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Prayagraj. MoUs have been signed with Lucknow Airport, Lucknow Metro and Lucknow Police to support operations in the state capital.
How have UP's cooperative banks changed since 2017?
According to CM Yogi Adityanath, 16 cooperative banks in Uttar Pradesh had lost their licences before 2017, with thousands of crores in farmer deposits stuck inside them. Since then, 15 of the 16 banks have returned to profitability, with recovery efforts ongoing for the remaining bank. Additionally, 54 lakh new members have joined the cooperative sector during this period.
