So far, nine of its departments have been criticized publicly for being overly bureaucratic and six officials have been removed from their posts, according to media reports.

Liu Jianping, a professor at the public management college of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, said there has been an obvious improvement in some departments since the campaign started.

Su Xinwei, a senior official with the economy and information commission in Wuhan, said he has been working more diligently since the campaign there kicked off.

"The results show that we can do better in our work," Su said.

But many residents have wondered how effective the initiative will be.

Zhang Ying, 26, an employee at an advertising company in Wuhan, said the crackdown may only last for a limited time and bad habits could soon creep back. Professor Liu said the government could rectify that by making such campaigns into long-term ongoing programs.