Free Nutritious Meal Program Not Affected by Budget Efficiency

Jakarta – Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, ensured that the budget efficiency measures of Rp200.2 billion taken by his agency did not impact the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program.

“It has nothing to do with the Free Nutritious Meal program, because the budget (efficiency) is related to land acquisition which can be overcome by borrowing and using,” said Dadan.

Dadan explained that the budget efficiency is related to land acquisition for the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG). In the future, the need for this land will be overcome through a borrowing and using mechanism from assets owned by the regional government, other ministries, and institutions such as the TNI, Polri, and BUMN.

According to him, the existence of SPPG land is very important because it functions as a location for cooking, a meeting place between producers and pharmacists, and a nutrition consultation center for beneficiaries of the MBG program.

Furthermore, Dadan stated that in 2025 the budget for the MBG program will increase in order to meet the broader target as planned by President Prabowo Subianto.

“When the addition of programs and coverage which was initially only 15 to 17.5 million in 2025, and asked to cover 82.9 million, there will automatically be an increase, because when this program must be accelerated at the end of 2025 it will be automatic, because the success of the program has three; one, budget; two, human resources; three, infrastructure,” he said.

On a different occasion, Dadan also said that his party needed an additional budget of around IDR 25 trillion if the number of beneficiaries was expanded.

“Because we already have a budget in 2025 of IDR 70.7 trillion now, so per month, we will need approximately IDR 25 trillion if the number of beneficiaries is increased,” he said.

In addition, Dadan highlighted that there are still many children in Indonesia who have not received adequate nutritional intake. Based on the data he presented, around 60 percent of children in Indonesia are not used to consuming food with complete nutritional content.

“So they are surprised if we serve carbohydrates, protein, vegetables, fiber fruits, and milk. That 60 percent of Indonesian children have never seen a menu like that,” he said.

He also added that the low consumption of milk among children is not caused by factors of incompatibility or lactose intolerance, but rather because of economic limitations that make them unable to buy it. //