MBG Program Takes Advantage of Allocation from Budget Efficiency Policy

By: Hanifah

The Indonesian government continues to strive to improve the quality of life of the community by launching various programs aimed at meeting basic needs, such as health, education, and nutrition. One important initiative introduced is the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG), which is designed to ensure that people, especially those below the poverty line, have access to nutritious food needed to maintain their health.

However, one of the biggest challenges faced by the government is budget constraints. Therefore, in order to ensure the sustainability of social programs, including the MBG Program, the government has implemented a budget efficiency policy.

To support the implementation of the MBG program, the government has taken various steps for budget efficiency. One of them is by issuing Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 1 of 2025 which regulates spending efficiency in the implementation of the State Budget (APBN) and the Regional Budget (APBD) for the 2025 Fiscal Year.

The Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani said that the government is targeting budget savings of up to 306.69 trillion, where the funds will be allocated to support various priority programs, including Free Nutritious Meals. Every fund used will truly provide real benefits to the community.

This budget efficiency policy aims to maximize the use of state funds, by diverting limited resources to programs that have a direct impact on community welfare. One of the programs that benefits from this budget efficiency policy is the MBG Program.

The success of the MBG Program is highly dependent on the efficiency of budget use. In order to optimize limited funds, the government ensures that every budget allocation is used for programs that have a direct impact on the community. Thus, this program can cover more beneficiaries, from children to adults, in areas with high poverty rates and limited access to nutritious food

Chairman of Commission XI of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Mukhamad Misbakhun said that his party agreed regarding the use of budget efficiency of IDR 100 trillion for Free Nutritious Meals (MBG), this will be useful for reviving MSMEs and the remaining budget from efficiency is more productive in order to improve the national economy.

The MBG program can also improve the quality of life of the community as a whole. When people have access to nutritious food, they will be healthier and have more energy to carry out their daily activities. This of course affects their productivity, both in work and other activities. Better health will make people more able to contribute to the economy, both through formal employment and the small and medium businesses they manage.

Overall, the MBG program supported by budget efficiency policies has the potential to have a major impact on the welfare of the Indonesian people. This program not only helps overcome the problems of malnutrition and food shortages, but also plays a role in improving the health, education, and quality of life of the community as a whole. With an efficiently managed budget, the program can reach more beneficiaries, thus creating significant changes in reducing poverty rates and improving the quality of life of the community.

The Ministry of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions also provides support for the MBG program through village funds. The Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions, Yandri Susanto said that 20 percent of the IDR 71 trillion in village funds in 2025 will be allocated for the MBG Program. The budget is projected to supply raw materials for the implementation of MBG and is managed by village-owned enterprises or Bumdes

In implementing the budget efficiency policy, the government also ensures that the implementation of the MBG Program is carried out efficiently and on target. By carefully planning and monitoring the use of the budget, the government can minimize waste and ensure that every rupiah spent provides maximum benefits to beneficiaries. For example, budget allocation can be focused on areas that need the most assistance, so that the program can reach more individuals at risk of malnutrition.