THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, SEPTEMBER 23, 2026

Odisha is gearing up to enter the cooperative cab market with the proposed rollout of Bharat Taxi, a home-grown app-based taxi service positioned as an alternative to established platforms such as Ola and Uber.

Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta informed the Odisha Assembly on Wednesday that the Bharat Taxi scheme would be introduced in the state soon.

In a written reply to an Assembly question, the minister said the service would function on the lines of existing app-based taxi platforms, while operating under a cooperative-based model.

The initiative could bring a new business model to Odisha's rapidly evolving urban mobility sector, with cooperative societies expected to play a key role in its operations.

The Union Ministry of Cooperation formulated the Bharat Taxi scheme on February 5, 2026, following which the Odisha government began taking steps towards its implementation in the state.

The groundwork for the rollout has already begun. The Cooperation Ministry held a meeting in March to examine various aspects of the proposed service, including its operational mechanism and the potential role and benefits of cooperative societies.

However, the contours of the Odisha model are yet to be finalised.

According to Samanta, the detailed implementation framework is currently under consideration by the state Cooperation Department. Key operational details will be finalised before the service is launched.

Once operational, Bharat Taxi could introduce a distinct cooperative dimension to Odisha's app-based taxi ecosystem. Unlike conventional private cab aggregators, the initiative is designed around cooperative participation, potentially creating a different ownership and operating structure for drivers and participating societies.

For commuters, the launch could mean another app-based mobility option, particularly in urban centres where demand for convenient taxi services continues to grow.

For now, however, the state government is keeping the focus on building the operational framework before taking Bharat Taxi to the road.