What’s so new about the gig economy in India

Actually, the basic concept of “gig economy” is not new in India. The majority of the informal workforce in India has been freelance in both the urban and rural workforce. In urban areas, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, housemaids, construction workers et al have always been a part of the informal workforce without full employment and benefits. Some negotiate assignments directly with the principal employer and some are employed by contractors. 
In the small and medium segment in sectors like gems and jewelry where skills are more important, migrant workforce who are not full-time employees has been engaged.
However, the issue with the organized workforce which employs 15 percent of the total workforce in the country has been the Contract Labour Act, which has discouraged many larger employers from employing contingent workforce. The biggest hindrance has been the law which states that if the contractor fails to provide the wages of the labor, the principal employer has to pay