J-K Upper House passes resolution demanding IIT, IIM

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council today adopted a resolution demanding that the Centre sanction an IIT and an IIM for the Valley.
The private member resolution was moved by opposition National Conference (NC) legislator Qaiser Jamsheed Lone and passed by the House despite the government appealing to the MLC to withdraw it.
"The government is pursuing these issues. It would be better to withdraw this resolution," Law Minister Abdul Haq Khan told Lone while discussing the resolution in the Upper House.
He said the government does not reject outright the resolution on IIT and IIM for Kashmir but it is not the "proper time" to pass this resolution.

If the resolution, once passed by the House, is rejected, it will be a disgrace, he said, adding "so, my suggestion to the member is to withdraw the resolution."
The NC MLC, however, did not withdraw the resolution, saying almost all the members of the House endorsed it.

Chairman Anayat Ali then put the resolution to vote and it was passed by a majority in the House.
Some members from Jammu region did not vote in favour of the resolution.
Earlier, while seeking the support of all parties, Lone said Kashmir too should be given an Indian Institute of Technology and an Indian Institute of Management so that people here get better career opportunities.

This demand is aimed at bringing prosperity and development to all the regions of the state, he said, adding if we can have two AIIMS, we should also have two IITs and IIMs.
The House also adopted a resolution for filling the post of Tehsildars only with the Urdu knowing officers.
The private member's resolution was moved by Congress lawmaker Naresh Gupta.
All the members, cutting across the party lines, who spoke on the resolution, supported it. The government also supported the resolution.
Some of them insisted that Urdu should be made a compulsory subject in schools.
Meanwhile, PDP MLC Firdous Ahmed Tak had to withdraw his resolution wherein he sought creation of separate Chenab Valley Development Department or an advisory board for the region for formulating and coordinating plans for the development of the remote mountainous region.

Tak withdrew his resolution after assurance from the government that the hilly area would be the "focus of development".