India, June 18 -- The state government has begun accepting applications for its new aggregator taxi service, 'Devabhau Sahakar Taxi', meant to counter the hefty commissions charged by private ride-hailing companies such as Uber, Ola and Rapido.

The new platform, boldly branded with the political moniker 'Deva Bhau' used for chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, will be run by the Devdutt Cooperative Society, launched for the welfare of educated unemployed youth in the state, said officials in the state transport department. Under the new scheme, profits will go directly to drivers and vehicle owners, officials added.

The service has been modelled on the Bharat Taxi initiative operating in cities like Delhi and Kolkata. The first phase is ex...