Himachal notifies new SOP to strengthen monitoring of Lok Mitra Kendras

The initiative aims to strengthen transparency, improve service delivery, and protect citizens from issues such as overcharging, poor service quality, and unauthorised operations

The department of digital technologies and governance (DDT&G), government of Himachal Pradesh, has notified a new standard operating procedure (SOP) for monitoring Lok Mitra Kendras (LMKs) and Aadhaar centres across the state.

The guidelines also place strict controls on Aadhaar-related activities being carried out through LMKs. (HT Photo for representation)

The initiative aims to strengthen transparency, improve service delivery, and protect citizens from issues such as overcharging, poor service quality, and unauthorised operations.

The SOP introduces a clear framework for handling complaints and taking action in cases of irregularities such as overcharging, non-delivery of services, operational violations, misconduct, or fraudulent activities. If any LMK is found charging more than the government-notified service rates, strict penalties will be imposed. For the first instance of overcharging, the CSC ID of the centre will be blocked for one month along with a warning. Repeated violations may lead to longer suspension and may even result in permanent cancellation of the CSC ID.

The guidelines also place strict controls on Aadhaar-related activities being carried out through LMKs. Aadhaar operators are required to operate only from authorised government premises and must follow the location norms prescribed by Unique Identification Authority of India.

Director, DDT&G, Nipun Jindal informed that all LMKs have also been directed to prominently display the official rate list of services at their centres. Citizens are encouraged to check the displayed rates before making payments for any service.

To strengthen monitoring, e-district managers will conduct random inspections of at least fifteen LMKs every quarter. Complaints against the working of LMKs can be submitted through multiple channels including the Mukhya Mantri Sewa Sankalp helpline (1100), official grievance portals, emails, or through the district administration. The director stated that there are around 7,900 active LMKs in the state which are playing a crucial role in delivering digital public services, particularly in rural areas.