NEW DELHI, Jan. 2 -- Coined in the US in 2009, the term "gig economy", which refers to various forms of temporary employment, has, over the years, utterly changed the way we think about work.

An auto driver whom I once hired told me that after being thrown out of temporary job in a private Bank, he bought an auto, although with considerable efforts but there was no looking back. He works for digital platforms Ola as well as Uber depending on demand and financial implications for half a day. Thereafter, he takes his two daughters to tuition classes and gives his vehicle to another driver and charges a fixed amount from him.

A housing society's part-time electrician, after completing his shift, makes some extra rupees working for deliver...