Alphons Kannanthanam is the new Tourism Minister

Alphons Kannanthanam has been administered the oath of office as Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Tourism Ministry by the President of India. He will replace Dr. Mahesh Sharma, MoS (I/C) Tourism and Culture. One of the toppers of IAS batch of 1979, Kannanthanam quit the services in 2006, and was elected a Member of the Legislative Assembly, from Kanjirappally in Kottayam District, Kerala. He joined the BJP as Member of National Executive Council in 2011. He is also a practicing advocate in the High court and the Supreme Court of India. As the Commissioner of Delhi Development Authority from 1992-1997, he demolished 14,310 illegal buildings in Delhi and reclaimed land worth Rs 10,000 crore, giving him the sobriquet of ‘Demolition Man’.