Cash bonanza for whistleblowers
Print Edition
PURVEYORS of unsafe food and drink beware.
Whistleblowers now stand to pocket up to 300,000 yuan (US$46,154) for informing on food safety violators.
Under an amended regulation that came into effect this month, the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration has increased the maximum cash payout of 200,000 yuan that has been offered since the reward scheme was established in 2011. It has also expanded the number of violations covered from nine to 30.
The list includes the use of out-of-date raw materials, illegally processing kitchen waste, and false best-before dates.
Whistleblowers who call the bilingual 12331 hotline are entitled to receive at least 200 yuan when the violation is confirmed, said officials.
People can give the information using their real name, a false name or anonymously.
“We encourage more citizens to monitor and report food safety cases,” said Shanghai FDA vice director Zhang Zhunmin.
“According to the regulation, tipsters can receive 3 to 6 percent of the case value as a reward.
“To encourage industry insiders to report food safety violations, insiders can receive an extra 1 to 2 percent of the case value as a reward after an investigation confirms their tips.”
One person was given the maximum reward of 200,000 yuan in 2013 for reporting a health tonic company’s violation, and a person was rewarded 100,000 yuan last year for reporting a food-related offence, officials said.
Last year, the administration rewarded 995 whistleblowers, paying out a total of 843,000 yuan, up 13 percent from 2014.
The government has an annual budget of 5 million yuan for rewarding whistleblowers.
So far, the 12331 hotline has received over 3,000 complaints and tips relating to food safety offences.
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