New Delhi, Nov. 14 -- Tiger Kumar, 34, stands at the corner of Govindpuri Labour Chowk, clutching a cloth bag containing the tools he needs to earn a living. A construction worker specialising in the alignment of high-end tiles, he has been waiting at the same spot for nearly four hours. His otherwise motionless stance changes only when a motorcyclist pulls up looking to hire a daily-wage worker. He rushes forward, competing with more than a dozen others gathered there, all hoping to secure a few hours of work. The competition may be fierce, but the pay is modest: around Rs.1,000 a day.

In the first 13 days of November, Kumar said he has found work on only two days, earning a total of Rs.2,400.

The motorcyclist hires someone else, leavi...