Thousands of officials and members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) have been punished for committing graft in 2015 as the government's anti-corruption campaign steps up its operations to rid the bureaucracy of extravagance and excessive practices.

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According to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, China's top anti-corruption watchdog, around 29,000 people were subjected to Party discipline for violating regulations against corruption.

The commission said a total of 29,011 Party members were investigated in 2015 the more than 32,000 cases filed against them.

The Party members were found to have violated the eight-point regulations, which includes adopting austerity measures and finding ways to bring the Party closer to the masses.

In the first 11 months of 2015, the number of senior Party members found to have violated Party rules and regulations increased compared to the same period in 2014.

Eight provincial, 441 city and 3,818 county officials were meted out punishments in 2015, ranging from suspension to  termination from the Party membership.

The number of county officials, who were found to have committed misconduct last year, rose by 51 percent, prompting the Party leadership to take a tougher stance against erring officials.

Various cases involving spending public funds have been filed against the officials, including taking unauthorized overseas trips, paying for meals and holding extravagant parties.

In the first 11 months of 2015, some 1,818 cases of  violations of Party rules were recorded with many officials found to have accepted money and gifts from businessmen.

The Commission said a large number of Party members were also found to have asked companies to pick up the tab for their meals.

The erring officials were said to have taken overseas trips using government money for supposed meetings and research projects. Others accepted gift cards and money from middlemen.

Tagsgraft and corruption, Central Commission for Discipline Inspection