New Delhi, Jan. 25 -- The public debate over the gig economy over the past week has centred around the tough working conditions and sharp management practices of the delivery-platform industry. Personal anecdotes and newspaper reports have highlighted how despite working hard and long to satisfy performance algorithms, gig workers earn just enough to eke out a living.

This was rebutted by one major platform with data that showed gig workers made a net income of around Rs.21,000 in a typical work-month, and that delivery times were optimized by increasing store density, not by incentivizing risky riding. Still, after the Union government's intervention, platforms have stopped promising 10-minute delivery.

Unfortunately, the anecdotal and...