Bharat Taxi won't let drivers earn below base rate: Shah

NEW DELHI: Cooperation minister Amit Shah on Monday assured a minimum base fare to cab drivers enrolled on the Bharat Taxi platform, saying existing corporate aggregators operate on models focused on maximising profits.

At a town hall with cab and auto drivers from Delhi-NCR and Gujarat, Shah said drivers would receive 80% of earnings based on kms driven, while 20% would be retained as cooperative capital. "Whatever business you do, your minimum should be fixed. And whatever is more than that has to come back to you," he said, adding that three major aggregators had told him they had not set any minimum base rate.

He announced a dedicated 'Saarathi Didi' feature, allowing women travelling alone to prioritise female drivers. Launched earlier this month, Bharat Taxi operates in NCR and Rajkot and aims to expand to every city with a civic body. Shah said it would follow the Amul model, with 85% of profits going back to producers. Drivers can become co-owners by purchasing a Rs 500 share, with board seats reserved for driver representatives as membership grows.

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