New Delhi, March 29: The objective of a taxi service based on cooperative model is to ensure democratic management by active participation of all members, and to ensure that maximum profit earned by such cooperative taxi society is distributed equitably among the taxi drivers who will be members of that society, the government has said.

India is home to over 8 lakh cooperative societies, serving nearly 30 crore members across 30 different sectors.

While replying to the discussion on Tribhuvan Sahkari University Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, said this week that in near future, a cooperative taxi service will be started, in which registration of two wheelers, taxis, rickshaws and four wheelers will be possible and the profit will go directly to the driver.

Based on principles of “Sahakar se Samriddhi”, a taxi-service cooperative will be formed by willing taxi drivers and the management will rest with the members of such society.

“Such an initiative will lead to overall prosperity and improving the income, working conditions, and standard of living for such taxi drivers/members of the cooperative society while providing better services to the consumers,” according to the ministry.

‘Sahkar’ or cooperation is a concept where a group of people voluntarily come together and form a cooperative society or Sahkari society based on mutual benefit and common economic interest.

Sahkari models of economic cooperation have been found to be more fruitful for its members, being more equitable and resulting in inclusive growth for all, like in the case of Amul.

These cooperatives play a crucial role in promoting self-reliance, financial inclusion, and rural development, particularly in agriculture, dairy, fisheries, banking, housing, consumer services, labour, sugar etc.

These cooperatives compete in the market alongside other players including private enterprises. The cooperatives are registered under the cooperative laws of the respective state/UT and societies which work in multiple states/UTs and are registered under the Multi State Cooperative Societies Act.

The government has promoted and assisted startups and other enterprises in the past for equitable and inclusive growth of the nation.

New Delhi, March 22: India’s ambitious goal of becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 will not only transform the country but also positively impact the world, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has said.

According to the billionaire philanthropist, if India can stay on the path of the 2047 plan, “it will be beneficial not just to India but to the whole world”.

Gates hailed India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI), including Aadhaar and UPI, calling it one of the country’s most significant contributions to the world.

Speaking at a media event in the national capital, he said that prioritising key sectors like health and education in India has created a very positive dynamic.

Gates emphasised that economic expansion would enable greater government investment in healthcare and education, creating significant opportunities.

On Artificial Intelligence (AI), Gates said that with AI, we can achieve enough food and medical care “without requiring everyone to work as we do today”.

In his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week, Gates said his meeting with the PM was focused on India’s development vision, particularly the ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ goal — an initiative aimed at making India a developed nation by its centenary year of Independence.

The discussions between Modi and Gates emphasised how AI and digital infrastructure can revolutionise healthcare, education, and agriculture.

“As always, an excellent meeting with Bill Gates. We spoke about diverse issues including tech, innovation, and sustainability towards making a better future for the coming generations,” said PM Modi in a post on X.

Meanwhile, the India AI Mission and the Gates Foundation are expected to collaborate on several initiatives, leveraging technology to improve public services and create sustainable solutions. Gates also met Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to explore new opportunities for agricultural development.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that Microsoft and Gates Foundation will provide support to make Maharashtra a role model in the country in digital governance and right to service.

Mumbai, March 20: The Maharashtra government has intensified its scrutiny of Ola Electric stores over alleged trade violations, adding to the challenges faced by Bhavish Aggarwal-led electric vehicle (EV) maker

Officials from five regional transport offices inspected 26 Ola Electric stores in Mumbai and Pune to check for trade certificates, according to sources. As a result, authorities also confiscated a total of 36 Ola Electric scooters.

According to a report in NDTV Profit, until Tuesday, 10 Ola Electric stores in Mumbai were inspected and 10 scooters were impounded.

The latest action on Wednesday was taken following a complaint filed by Pritpal Singh and Associates, a Gurugram-based firm.

The complaint alleged that Ola Electric was setting up showrooms, stores, and service centres in Maharashtra using a single trade certificate, which is not permitted under the law.

An inspection report, signed by Deputy Transport Commissioner Ravi Gaekwad, confirmed the allegations, the report said.

Maharashtra’s Transport Minister, Pratap Sarnaik, has ordered immediate action on the complaint and asked for a report on the matter. Officials from four Mumbai RTOs and one Pune RTO carried out the inspections.

As per the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and Rule 33 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, vehicle distributors and manufacturers must obtain a business certificate to register vehicles.

Additionally, Rule 35 states that each showroom, dealership, or establishment engaged in selling or displaying vehicles must have a separate business certificate.

Failure to comply with these rules can result in penalties under Section 192 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. This crackdown comes at a time when Ola Electric is already facing financial and legal troubles.

Last week, vendors Rosmerta Digital Services Private Ltd and Rosmerta Safety Systems Private Ltd moved to initiate insolvency proceedings against an Ola Electric subsidiary over unpaid dues of around Rs 25 crore.

These vendors were responsible for processing vehicle registrations and manufacturing high-security number plates for Ola Electric scooters.

However, the company has informed the stock exchanges about only one petition filed with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in Bengaluru.

Ola Electric is also under scrutiny for its reported sales figures. In February, the company claimed to have sold 25,000 scooters, but registration data suggests that only about a third of them were actually registered.