Bhubaneswar: The Bharat Taxi scheme, a cooperative-based taxi service, will be introduced in Odisha soon, Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta informed the Odisha Assembly on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question in the Assembly, the minister said the scheme will operate in Odisha on the lines of app-based taxi services such as Ola and Uber.

The Bharat Taxi scheme was formulated by the Union Ministry of Cooperation on February 5, 2026. The Odisha government has initiated steps to implement the scheme in the state, Samanta said.

As part of preparations for its implementation, the Cooperation Ministry organised a meeting in March 2026 to discuss various aspects of the scheme, including its operation and usefulness through cooperative societies.

The minister said the detailed framework for implementing Bharat Taxi in Odisha is currently under consideration by the department.

Once introduced, the scheme is expected to provide a cooperative-based alternative in the state's app-based taxi service sector, with further details on its operational structure to be finalised by the government.