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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Health & Science

Indonesian Nutrition Agency Chief Meets Finance Minister on Free Nutritious Meal Program

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • The Head of Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN) met with the Finance Minister to evaluate the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program.
  • The discussion focused on budget execution, remaining funds, and next year's budget, including identifying private schools that improperly received program funds.
  • The government plans to reallocate the MBG budget, which is the largest among ministries, to ensure more effective program implementation.

Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is scrutinizing the implementation of its ambitious Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, a government initiative with the largest budget allocation among all ministries. BGN Chief Sudaryono met with Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa to discuss program evaluations and budget details for the current and upcoming fiscal years.

The core of their discussion revolved around ensuring the program's effective execution. A key finding from BGN's review revealed that approximately 80 private schools, which do not require nutritional support, were included as recipients. To optimize resource allocation and program impact, BGN plans to remove these schools from the beneficiary list.

We want synchronization of everything. I think this is collaboration. The government is such that all ministries collaborate with each other, there are no barriers. So, we are maximizing so that MBG, with the largest budget among all ministries/agencies, is implemented well.

— SudaryonoHead of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) explaining the purpose of the meeting with the Finance Minister.

The MBG program is set to receive a substantial budget of Rp 240 trillion in the 2027 State Budget. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa confirmed that education spending in the 2027 budget is projected at Rp 820.9 trillion, with the MBG program alone supporting 60.6 million recipients.

To enhance oversight, the Ministry of Finance is leveraging its network of Regional Offices of the Directorate General of Treasury (DJPb) across Indonesia. These offices are conducting surveys of Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) to monitor various aspects of the MBG program's implementation. Purbaya stated that these regional offices, present in every province down to the district level, are being utilized to gather comprehensive data on the program's progress.

Not placing representatives, we do have them throughout the provinces down to the second level throughout Indonesia, in the Treasury Regional Offices (DJPb). Well, we are utilizing that now to conduct a kind of survey on all aspects (SPPG) that exist there.

— Purbaya Yudhi SadewaFinance Minister explaining how the Ministry of Finance is monitoring the MBG program's implementation.
About this summary

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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