KJ Alphons: News
Alphons Joseph Kannanthanam, also known as KJ Alphons, is an Indian politician, advocate, and civil servant from Kerala who is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He has formerly served as the Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism under the Narendra Modi government. Alphons is serving as the Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan, as of 2021. He was born on August 8, 1953, in Cochin and belongs to the 1979 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Kerala cadre. Alphons was one of the toppers in the Civil Services Examination. He was the Commissioner of the Delhi Development Authority. During his tenure as a district collector, Alphons made various developments in Kottayam which made it the first 100 percent literate town in India. He had also started a mass contact program which later won an award from the United Nations. He was called the ‘Demolition Man,’ after he demolished 14,310 illegal encroachments in Delhi. Alphons won the best MLA award and the best collector award thrice.
18 Jan 2020
Narendra ModiKV Kamath may join Finance Ministry, Swapan Dasgupta HRD
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet will soon welcome new members, including technocrats who could influence major decisions.
23 May 2019
Narendra ModiFive famous civil servants in Modi government to know about
The Indian Civil Services are a dream for lakhs of youngsters.
13 May 2019
ChhattisgarhFive popular IAS officers who later turned into politicians
The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the most prestigious and sought-after Civil Service of the country.
17 Sep 2018
IndiaIndia doesn't discriminate tourists based on sexual orientation: Minister Alphons
India doesn't discriminate against tourists based on their sexual orientation and everyone is welcome to the country, Tourism Minister KJ Alphons said today.
01 Sep 2018
Pinarayi VijayanIndians in China contributed Rs. 32.13L towards Kerala flood relief
Union Minister KJ Alphons said today that he has collected Rs. 32.13 lakh from the Indian diaspora in China towards the Kerala flood relief.
30 Aug 2018
KeralaFlood-hit victims in Kerala to get low cost LPG cylinders
Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has approved a proposal to replace LPG cylinders, which were lost during the recent floods in Kerala, at a subsidized rate, a statement from the Union Minister of State for Tourism KJ Alphons's office said today.
22 Aug 2018
KeralaKerala floods: Technical assistance required as Kerala starts reconstruction
With rains having petered out and flood waters receding, Kerala's efforts have shifted towards reconstruction and rehabilitation.
20 Aug 2018
KeralaKerala floods: 90% of rescue operations completed
In what can be seen as a silver lining in an otherwise bleak situation, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan announced a while back that 90% of rescue operations in the state had been completed.
06 Aug 2018
India14% jump in foreign tourist arrivals in India: Tourism Minister
Foreign tourist arrivals in India has seen a 14% jump in 2017 and foreign exchange earnings in the sector during the same period was Rs. 1.77 lakh crore, Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons said today.
06 Aug 2018
IndiaGovernment extends e-visa facility for citizens of 165 countries: Tourism-Minister
Seeking to promote tourism, the government has extended e-visa facility for citizens of 165 countries at 25 airports and five seaports, Tourism Minister KJ Alphons informed Lok Sabha today.
24 Jul 2018
IndiaFourteen states have deployed tourists police, says Union Tourism Minister
Fourteen states have deployed tourist police in one form or other, Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons informed Rajya Sabha.
28 Apr 2018
Red FortDalmia-group adopts Red Fort, Congress accuses Centre of 'privatizing' Indian-heritage
The Congress questioned BJP led Centre on Saturday after corporate group, Dalmia Bharat adopted the Red Fort for five years at a cost of Rs. 25 crore.
26 Apr 2018
Uttar PradeshNon-NDA states allege political bias in iconic tourism sites shortlist
Multiple non-NDA states have alleged that the Central government's shortlist of 17 tourism destinations to be developed into "iconic tourism sites" reeks of political bias.
29 Mar 2018
IndiaTaxi drivers follow rules, expensive cars' drivers don't: Tourism Minister
Tourism Minister K J Alphons has said the most unruly drivers on Indian roads are the ones who own expensive cars.
26 Mar 2018
Narendra ModiPeople happily strip before white men but protest Aadhaar: BJP-Minister
In a bizarre statement, Tourism Minister KJ Alphons hit out at critics of Aadhaar yesterday, saying people have no problem "getting naked before white men" at airports abroad, but go on protests when "your own government" asks for basic details.
09 Mar 2018
Lok SabhaOver 22,000 Indian websites hacked during April 2017-January 2018
According to Minister of State (MoS) for Electronics and IT KJ Alphons, a total of 22,207 Indian websites were hacked between April 2017 and January 2018.
23 Nov 2017
Ram Nath KovindPassenger headed to funeral shouts at Alphons over flight delay
A video of a woman shouting at Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons at the Imphal airport has gone viral.
16 Sep 2017
IndiaAlphons: 'Have a vehicle? Can afford fuel hike then'
Bureaucrat-turned politician and Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons created a controversy when he made a statement that those who can buy vehicles can afford to pay the increased fuel prices.
08 Sep 2017
IndiaForeigners can eat beef outside before visiting India: Tourism Minister
A day after being sworn in, new Tourism Minister KJ Alphons had asserted there's no food code issued by the BJP, that states like Kerala and Goa would continue eating beef.