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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Economy & Trade

Proposal to give free meals only to low-income students still under review

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency is reviewing a proposal to restrict the free nutritious meal project to students from lower "desil" (socioeconomic) groups.
  • President Prabowo Subianto has given the agency one month to evaluate the project's implementation and potential adjustments.
  • The agency is also considering prioritizing distribution in underdeveloped regions and potentially adjusting the meal cost per portion between Java and eastern Indonesia.

Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is currently evaluating a proposal to limit the recipients of the government's free nutritious meal project to students from the lowest socioeconomic strata, known as "desil bawah." This review follows President Prabowo Subianto's directive for the agency to assess the project's execution.

There has indeed been a proposal for that, but we are still reviewing it.

— TrenggonoConfirming the ongoing review of limiting the free meal project to lower socioeconomic groups.

Major General (Ret.) Trenggono, Deputy Head of the BGN, confirmed the ongoing review, stating that while the idea exists, it requires further study. The agency has been given a one-month timeframe by the President to complete this evaluation. Trenggono emphasized that beneficiaries remain a priority, and further details will be announced upon completion of the assessment.

In parallel, Deputy Head Agustina Arumsari indicated that the government is also considering prioritizing the distribution of these meals in underdeveloped areas. The aim is to streamline the program by potentially excluding those who no longer require the assistance, while ensuring that students from lower desil groups, particularly in regions with high stunting prevalence, receive the meals. Arumsari also raised the possibility of differing meal costs per portion between Java and eastern Indonesia, questioning if the current Rp 15,000 budget per portion in Java would apply nationwide.

What needs to be made more efficient, those who no longer need to receive the free meal project, please do not receive it anymore. But those who are in the lower desil, in underdeveloped areas, in areas with high stunting prevalence and so on, please be given it.

— Agustina ArumsariExplaining the rationale behind prioritizing meal distribution in certain areas and to specific groups.

The free meal program has faced scrutiny, with the Attorney General's Office investigating alleged corruption in its management at the BGN. Several individuals, including former agency heads and business figures, have been named as suspects in the case.

Is the budget per portion the same as in Java, which is Rp 15,000?

— Agustina ArumsariQuestioning potential differences in meal costs between regions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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