Will Indonesia Cut Free Nutritious Meal Budget?

**National Nutrition Agency Considers Reducing 2027 Free Nutritious Meal Budget**

**JAKARTA** – The Indonesian National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is evaluating the possibility of reducing the 2027 budget for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program to below Rp200 trillion.

BGN Head Sudaryono stated on Thursday, September 3, 2026, that the agency is currently recalculating program requirements and intends to coordinate with the Minister of Finance to finalize the figures. While the government previously set the 2027 MBG budget at Rp240 trillion, Sudaryono indicated that this amount remains subject to change based on updated beneficiary data and operational needs.

“It’s possible to be below Rp200 trillion,” Sudaryono said following a meeting with parliament. He emphasized that the agency is prioritizing efficiency to optimize state spending.

The agency’s move toward budget reduction follows recent efforts to streamline the 2026 MBG budget. By updating beneficiary data and identifying approximately 6 million duplicate registrations—such as students dually enrolled in Islamic boarding schools and public schools—the BGN successfully reduced the 2026 budget from a ceiling of Rp268 trillion to approximately Rp229 trillion.

Additionally, the BGN identified non-operational kitchens that had been assigned virtual accounts. The agency subsequently withdrew these accounts from 414 kitchens, resulting in the return of approximately Rp311 billion to the state treasury.

Sudaryono noted that the agency is also reviewing the eligibility of beneficiaries attending elite private schools. He stated that further efficiency measures will be implemented if additional data discrepancies or inactive programs are discovered.

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa confirmed that the government is actively considering streamlining the program’s costs. “I’ve spoken with the new Head of BGN. It seems possible to make the budget more efficient,” Sadewa said in Jakarta on Thursday.

Article and image source: en.tempo.co