The Chief Minister's Office of Rajasthan announced on Sunday, 26 July 2026 that vehicle drivers enrolled under the Bharat Taxi scheme will serve as partners and co-owners — not merely employees — in the state-promoted ride-hailing model, tagging Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma in the post.

The post, shared under the hashtag #आपणो_अग्रणी_राजस्थान ('Our Leading Rajasthan'), stated: 'In Bharat Taxi, the vehicle driver Sarthi is himself a participant and co-owner.' The phrase Sarthi — meaning charioteer or driver — is used here as the official designation for drivers enrolled in the scheme, signalling a deliberate branding choice that elevates their status within the platform's structure.

Context

The Bharat Taxi initiative is a Rajasthan government-promoted taxi service model designed to position drivers as stakeholders rather than gig workers. By framing drivers as co-owners, the scheme departs from the conventional aggregator model — where platform companies retain ownership and drivers operate on commission — and instead offers a participatory economic structure.

The announcement comes as ride-hailing and app-based mobility have become significant employment avenues across Rajasthan, a state with a strong tourism corridor connecting cities such as Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Udaipur.

Policy Backdrop

The cooperative or co-ownership model in the transport sector is consistent with a broader national conversation about gig-worker rights and economic participation. Several Indian states have explored frameworks that give platform workers a greater share of earnings or governance rights, though formal legislative backing has varied.

Under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma's administration, Rajasthan has pursued self-reliant economic models in services tied to tourism and mobility. The Bharat Taxi scheme appears to be part of this push, seeking to align local entrepreneurship with the expanding demand for organised road transport.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of the model are taxi drivers and transport operators across Rajasthan. By designating drivers as Sarthis with partner and co-owner status, the scheme could alter income-sharing structures, decision-making rights, and long-term asset ownership for participants.

Tourism-linked transport is a major livelihood source in the state, and a cooperative ownership model — if implemented with adequate financial and institutional support — could improve earnings stability for thousands of drivers who currently operate on thin margins under aggregator contracts.

What's Next

Details on the official rollout timeline, pilot launch locations, and any legislative or budgetary backing for Bharat Taxi are expected to emerge in forthcoming Rajasthan assembly sessions or through official government notifications. Clarity on how co-ownership is structured — whether through equity stakes, profit-sharing, or cooperative membership — will be critical to assessing the scheme's real-world impact on driver livelihoods.

The broader success of the model will depend on how the state balances regulatory oversight, technology infrastructure, and financial inclusion for drivers who may lack the capital typically required to participate in ownership structures.