Mumbai, May 20: In a major step towards strengthening digital awareness digital inclusion and safe mobility across Maharashtra, Rapido has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra Information Technology Corporation Limited (MahaIT) an undertaking of the Maharashtra government.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar, Minister for Electronics, Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence Ashish Shelar, Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar Agrawal, Secretary of the Electronics, Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence Department Parimal Singh, MahaIT Commissioner Bhuvaneshwari S., Maha IT Managing Director Sanjay Katkar and representatives from CSR partner organisations.
The partnership aims to improve awareness and accessibility of government digital services among citizens while also strengthening captain verification systems and last-mile digital outreach throughout the state.
Under the collaboration, Rapido will leverage its large captain network and technology platform to promote citizen-centric digital initiatives of the Maharashtra government. The campaign will focus on increasing awareness and usage of digital public platforms such as ‘Aaple Sarkar’, ‘Maha ID’ and ‘Mahasaarthi” along with several other public digital services operated through MahaIT.
Speaking about the initiative, MahaIT official Subhash Shelke said the partnership would help strengthen digital governance and citizen engagement through the use of technology enabled mobility networks. He said the collaboration also includes plans to enhance digital verification and background checks for Rapido captains through integration with the ‘Maha ID’ platform, which is expected to improve transparency, trust and passenger safety.
He added that Rapido captains could also play the role of grassroots digital information ambassadors by spreading awareness about government digital services among citizens.
Rapido Co-founder Pavan Guntupalli said mobility platforms today have a larger responsibility beyond transportation and can contribute significantly towards public awareness, trust and safety. He stated that the collaboration with MahaIT would support government-led digital initiatives while also providing citizens with a safer and more reliable mobility experience.
As part of the agreement, government-approved awareness campaigns and messages will be delivered to Rapido users and captains across Maharashtra through in-app banners, notifications and informational alerts. The initiative is expected to improve public awareness and adoption of digital governance services.
The two organisations are also considering the launch of a ‘Maha-Rapido Fellowship Programme’ aimed at promoting digital inclusion and skill development in Tier-3 and Tier-4 cities of Maharashtra.
Founded in 2015 Rapido currently operates in more than 400 cities across India and provides services including bike taxis, auto-rickshaws, cab services, parcel delivery, flight bookings and food delivery. According to the company, the platform has generated employment opportunities for more than 9 million people across the country.
