Tip-offs help double funds recovered

Funds recovered from public tip-offs over officials involved in graft and illegal land use doubled in the past two years to more than 80 million yuan ($11.7 million) last year, figures from the Ministry of Land and Resources showed yesterday.

Whistle-blowers helped point out 5,167 cases to the ministry last year, with 196 land officials subsequently punished, about one-quarter more than the number in 2006, the authorities said.

"We made great progress last year in dealing with cases involving corruption and illegal land use," said Wang Shouxiang, head of the Discipline Inspection Commission of the ministry.