The Manipur government appointed Vineet Joshi as the new chief secretary of the state, which has been rocked by ethnic violence over the past few days, according to an official order.

Joshi, a 1992-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Manipur cadre, replaced Rajesh Kumar.

Joshi was on central deputation, and serving as the additional secretary of the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the repatriation of Joshi to his parent cadre on the request of the Manipur government, a Personnel Ministry order dated May 6 said.

"The governor of Manipur is pleased to appoint Dr Vineet Joshi as chief secretary" with immediate effect, according to an order of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (personnel division) of the state government issued on Sunday.

Violent clashes broke out in the northeastern state after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the 10 hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, leading to the deaths of at least 54 people.

So far, 23,000 people have been rescued from the violence-hit areas and moved to military garrisons.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and live in the hill districts.

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