Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed Parliament about the upcoming launch of ‘Sahkar Taxi’, a cooperative-based ride-hailing service aimed at directly benefiting drivers. Modeled after platforms like Ola and Uber, this initiative will enable cooperative societies to register two-wheelers, taxis, rickshaws, and four-wheelers—ensuring drivers retain their full earnings without intermediaries taking a share.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking in the Lok Sabha, highlighted that the ‘Sahkar Taxi’ initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sahkar Se Samriddhi‘ (Prosperity through Cooperation).
💬 “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,” Shah stated.
The announcement comes amid rising scrutiny of ride-hailing giants Ola and Uber, following allegations of discriminatory pricing.
🚨 CCPA Issues Notices to Ola & Uber
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) recently issued notices to both companies after reports suggested that ride fares varied based on whether a user was booking via iPhone or Android.
Ola’s Response: The company denied platform-based price discrimination, stating, “We have a uniform pricing structure for all our customers and do not differentiate based on the user’s operating system.” Ola also confirmed that it had provided clarifications to the CCPA.
Uber Responds to Pricing Allegations
Uber also denied accusations of discriminatory pricing, stating that ride fares are not determined by a user’s phone model.
💬 “We do not set prices based on a rider’s phone manufacturer. We look forward to working with the CCPA to resolve any misunderstanding,” an Uber spokesperson said.
🚨 Social Media Sparks Debate
The controversy gained momentum in December 2024 after a viral social media post on X (formerly Twitter) showed two different fares for the same Uber ride on iPhone and Android devices. This led to widespread debate over possible price discrimination by ride-hailing platforms.
🛑 Government Expands Investigation
Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi weighed in on the issue, calling such pricing discrepancies an “unfair trade practice.”
📢 Key Announcement:
The government will expand its investigation beyond ride-hailing services, scrutinizing pricing strategies in food delivery and online ticketing platforms to ensure consumer protection against potential exploitative practices.
Read the latest and breaking Hindi WWW.HINDI.THEINSIGHTTODAY.COM and English news on WWW.THEINSIGHTTODAY.COM. Get unbiased, reliable, and fast updates on India and the world. Explore news from politics, sports, Bollywood, business, cities, lifestyle, astrology, spirituality, jobs, and more. Stay informed anytime, anywhere by downloading The Insight Today mobile app now! Connect us WhatsApp channel The Insight Today