Solan News
Solan Mayor Missing from Parivar Register, Questions Raised Over City’s Population Data
The credibility of Solan Municipal Corporation’s first-ever Parivar Register (PR) has come under serious scrutiny after it emerged that the name of the city’s Mayor, Usha Sharma, is missing from the finalised list.
The credibility of Solan Municipal Corporation’s first-ever Parivar Register (PR) has come under serious scrutiny after it emerged that the name of the city’s Mayor, Usha Sharma, is missing from the finalised list.
The omission has raised concerns over the accuracy and reliability of the family enrolment exercise, which was meant to provide an authentic demographic record of the city.
Prepared through designated Common Service Centres, the Parivar Register was approved last year, nearly 18 months after the exercise began in January 2024. According to official records, 16,829 families comprising 51,829 individuals were enrolled, pushing Solan’s population marginally above the 50,000 mark.
However, the figure reflects an increase of just 4,411 people over the 2011 Census population of 47,418, a rise many residents consider unrealistically low.
Mayor confirms exclusion
Confirming the discrepancy, Mayor Usha Sharma said she had personally completed her family’s enrolment through the authorised agency.
“It was surprising to discover about a fortnight ago that my name was missing from the list. The agency even showed me the receipt generated through the official app. I am still unsure where the error occurred,” she said.
Residents question data
Several residents and local observers have disputed the modest population growth, pointing to rapid urban expansion over the past decade. They estimate an annual growth rate of 10–12 per cent and claim many families were left out of the enumeration process.
The alleged exclusions have cast doubt on the overall credibility of the register.
Officials cite duplicate registrations
Some municipal officials offered an explanation, stating that many people residing in Solan remain registered in the Parivar Registers of their native villages in Sirmaur, Shimla and other parts of Solan district.
According to them, several families deliberately avoided enrolling in Solan to prevent duplication, which may have resulted in an underestimation of the city’s actual population. Officials said the figures could rise significantly if all residents were included.
Fresh enrolment underway
Joint Commissioner Chetan Chauhan acknowledged the discrepancies and said the enrolment of left-out families is currently underway, following complaints about gaps between the PR data and census estimates.
Authorities added that a clearer demographic picture is likely only after the next national Census, which was suspended in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2011 Census remains the last official benchmark.
