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Union Health Ministry has announced a reward of up to Rs.25 lakh for those who provide the information on illegal drugs to the ministry.
"The reward of maximum of up to 20 percent of the total cost of consignment seized will be payable to them (whistle blowers). The amount should not exceed Rs.25 lakh in each case," said a Health Ministry statement issued on Tuesday.
The reward will be given away for seizing spurious medicines, cosmetics and medical devices. The Ministry has promised to maintain the anonymity of the whistleblower.
India accounts for 35 percent of spurious drugs in the world. Some fake drugs are passed off as life-saving ones and some as antibiotics and gastroenteritis tablets.
"With a view to ensure that the informers are not made to wait till the final disposal of the matter, 25 percent of the amount will be given at the time of filing of the charge sheet in the court of law," the statement said.
Twenty-five percent of the reward money will be given after the case goes in favour of the government.
"The remaining 50 percent amount will be paid only when the case has been finally disposed of in favour of the government and no appeal with respect to the matter is pending in any other court of law in the country," it added.
The statement also mentioned that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization officials will also be receiving the award, but it will be restricted to a maximum of Rs. 5 lakh at a time, with the maximum possible being Rs.20 lakh in their entire career.
Officials from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) if eligible for the cash rewards will not get more than Rs.500,000 per case and Rs.20 lakh in their entire career, the statement said.
"Since spurious or fake drugs is a sensitive issue affecting the health of the citizens as well as the prestige of the country's pharmaceutical trade interests, there is a sense of urgency in taking on the menace on priority basis," a health ministry official said.
"People's participation is imperative in this regard and would be a highly effective step in augmenting the efforts of taking on the elements engaged in such illicit trade of spurious drugs," the official said.
