U.P. CM Yogi launches Bharat Taxi and Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday launched Bharat Taxi service and the Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana, calling them two major steps for taxi drivers and farmers. Through ‘Bharat Taxi’, two-wheeler, taxi and three-wheeler drivers will be able to join on zero commission upon registration. They will also receive social security of Rs. five lakh. Meanwhile, under Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana, the interest rate on loans provided to farmers through the Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Gramya Vikas Bank has been reduced from 11% to 6%.

“No one had thought about taxi, two-wheeler and three-wheeler drivers earlier. Now, upon registration, they will become part of Bharat Taxi on zero commission and will receive social security of ₹5 lakh. With social security, a driver will be able to carry out his work responsibly and without worry,” said Mr. Adityanath, addressing the event. 

The U.P. CM added, “Bharat Taxi is not merely a taxi that transports passengers. It is the taxi of entire India, which will work to transform India’s speed into progress. Its operations have started in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Prayagraj. MOUs have also been signed with various institutions, including Lucknow Airport, Lucknow Metro and Lucknow Police,”. 

Launching Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana, Mr. Adityanath said, “Farmers used to get loans from the Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Gramya Vikas Bank at an interest rate of 11 percent. This has now been reduced to 6%. To ensure that farmers do not face a shortage of funds for farming and machinery, arrangements have been made for long-term loans. In the coming years, the target is to provide its benefits to five lakh small and marginal farmers,”. 

The U.P. CM stressed that “If the annadata Kisan is prosperous, India will be prosperous. If the annadata Kisan is prosperous, India will prosper. The stronger the cooperative sector becomes, the stronger the country will become.” Mr. Adityanath added that when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was formed in 2017, loans worth more than ₹36,000 crore for 86 lakh small and marginal farmers were waived. “Irrigation projects that had remained pending for decades were completed. The Saryu Canal National Project took nearly 50 years to be completed,” he said. 

Mr. Adityanath added, “Before 2017, 16 cooperative banks in the state became inactive, and their licenses were seized. Thousands of crores of rupees belonging to farmers were deposited in these banks. Now, 15 of these 16 banks have returned to profit. Work is also under way to improve the remaining bank.”