Beijing, July 22 (IANS) At least 19,000 officials have been reprimanded for violating austerity rules in the first half of 2015, bringing the number of those punished since late 2012 to more than 120,000, the Communist Party of China’s top anti-graft body has said.
Those punished in the first six months of this year were involved in 14,000 cases, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said in a report.
The figures represent a significant drop from last year, when more than 71,000 officials were reprimanded in more than 53,000 cases, signalling that the “eight-point rules” introduced on December 4, 2012 aimed at reducing bureaucracy, extravagance, and undesirable work habits may be taking effect.
The CCDI said that the number of violations and officials involved has been on rise since March.
In June alone, more than 4,300 officials were reprimanded in more than 3,100 cases, it said.
Violations include using work vehicles for personal errands, providing unauthorised subsidies, and holding extravagant receptions, weddings and funerals.