Union Home Minister Amit Shah told Parliament that the government will launch 'Sahkar Taxi,' a cooperative-based ride-hailing service to benefit drivers directly. Similar to app-based platforms like Ola and Uber, this initiative will let cooperative societies register two-wheelers, taxis, rickshaws and four-wheelers, ensuring that drivers keep their entire earnings without intermediaries taking a share. Amit Shah highlighted in the Lok Sabha that the initiative is driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of achieving prosperity through cooperation, or "Sahkar Se Samriddhi".

"This is not just a slogan. The Ministry of Cooperation has worked relentlessly for three and a half years to implement this on the ground. In a few months, a major cooperative taxi service will be launched, ensuring direct profit flow to the drivers," according to the Home Minister.

The announcement follows increasing scrutiny of ride-hailing giants Ola and Uber over allegations of discriminatory pricing. Recently, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) sent notices to both companies after reports suggested that ride fares differed depending on whether a user booked through an iPhone or an Android device. 

Ola denied the allegations, stating that its platform does not engage in price discrimination. "We have a uniform pricing structure for all our customers and do not differentiate based on the operating system of the user’s cellphone for identical rides," said the company and provided clarification to the CCPA.

Uber rejected the claims, stating that the type of phone a rider uses does not affect the company’s service ride charges. "We do not set prices based on a rider's phone manufacturer. We look forward to working with the CCPA to resolve any misunderstanding," stated an Uber spokesperson.

The issue went viral in December 2024 when someone posted on X that two different phones showed distinct fares for the exact Uber ride, leading to much discussion and debate. Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi criticised differential pricing as an "unfair trade practice." He also announced that the government would expand its probe into pricing strategies in other sectors, such as food delivery and online ticketing, to protect consumers from potential exploitation.