Manipur gets new Chief Secretary

Imphal, May 8 (IANS) Amid the ethnic violence that has impacted normal lives in the state, the Manipur government appointed Vineet Joshi as the new chief secretary of the state, replacing Rajesh Kumar, who was given a 6-month extension in December last year, officials said here on Monday.

Joshi, a 1992-batch IAS officer, was on central deputation, and served as the additional secretary of the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education.

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

A Manipur government official on the condition of anonymity said that Joshi was appointed the Chief Secretary, superseding several senior IAS officers.

After the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur last week, retired IPS officer Kuldiep Singh, a former CRPF chief, was appointed security advisor to the Manipur government.

He was entrusted to supervise the overall law and order situation and deployment of the Army, and central para-military forces.

In view of the prevailing unrest in Manipur, the Central government has already imposed Article 355 in the state to bring the situation under control.

Article 355 is part of the emergency provisions contained in the Constitution that empowers the Centre to take all necessary steps to protect a state against internal disturbances or external aggression.