{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1708825,
        "msgid": "csis-researcher-proposes-cutting-free-nutritious-meals-to-3-4-days-per-week-1777467157",
        "date": "2026-04-29 19:25:27",
        "title": "CSIS Researcher Proposes Cutting Free Nutritious Meals to 3-4 Days per Week",
        "author": "",
        "source": "TEMPO_ID",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social Policy",
        "summary": "A researcher from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) suggests reducing the distribution of Indonesia's free nutritious meals (MBG) programme to three or four days a week as a short-term measure to ease fiscal pressures, given the current budget deficit of Rp 240.1 trillion by the end of March 2026. This approach avoids drastic cuts that could waste investments in nearly 27,000 community kitchens already built, while still targeting the most vulnerable groups. The government has already eliminated Saturday distributions, potentially saving Rp 50 trillion annually, to refocus spending on priority programmes more efficiently.",
        "content": "<p>A researcher from the economics department at the Centre for\nStrategic and International Studies, Riandy Laksono, believes one\nshort-term solution to address fiscal pressures is to reduce the\ndistribution of free nutritious meals, or MBG. It is known that by the\nend of March 2026, the state revenue and expenditure budget (APBN)\ndeficit was recorded at Rp 240.1 trillion, equivalent to 0.93 percent of\ngross domestic product (GDP). In detail, state revenue was recorded at\nRp 574.9 trillion. Meanwhile, state expenditure realisation reached Rp\n815 trillion, or about 21.2 percent of the APBN. For Riandy, the\nclearest solution is actually to reduce MBG because the project consumes\na massive budget. However, cuts to the project cannot be done\ndrastically. \u201cBut that is not easy, because the community kitchens,\ncalled SPPG (Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units), have already been\nbuilt. There are already 27,000 units out of a target of 30,000 SPPG,\u201d\nsaid Riandy during an online discussion on Wednesday, 29 April 2026.\nRiandy has allowed Tempo to quote his presentation. This means, Riandy\ncontinued, around 90 percent of the MBG provider kitchens have been\nbuilt in various regions of Indonesia. On the other hand, at least until\nmid-April, the MBG project has reached 62.35 million beneficiaries. \u201cSo\nimagine how many workers and capital would be wasted if MBG were reduced\ndrastically,\u201d said Riandy. Therefore, one option is not to stop MBG\nentirely. \u201cOr only target the groups most lacking in nutrition, or the\npoorest categories, but reduce the days of MBG,\u201d said Riandy. Instead of\nsix days a week, the government could cut MBG distribution days to four\nor three. \u201cThat is more acceptable than eliminating the entire\nimplementation of MBG for some regions that do not need it,\u201d said\nRiandy. Previously, Deputy Finance Minister Juda Agung said eliminating\nMBG distribution on Saturdays could save around Rp 1 trillion in one\nday. Juda stated that this step is part of sharpening or refocusing\ngovernment spending so that the implementation of priority programmes\ncontinues more efficiently and with quality. \u201cFor example, MBG, which\nused to provide free lunch on Saturdays, is now eliminated. One day can\nsave one trillion,\u201d said Juda during the Policy Dialogue session at the\nKick Off Acceleration of Indonesia Intermediation (PINISI) event in\nJakarta on Monday, 27 April 2026, as quoted by Antara. He explained that\nthis policy is considered more logical because students do not need to\ncome to school just to receive food. According to him, the savings could\nreach around Rp 4 trillion in a month if calculated over four weeks.\n\u201cFour times a month can save or economise Rp 4 trillion. In a year, of\ncourse, we can save around Rp 50 trillion,\u201d he said.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/csis-researcher-proposes-cutting-free-nutritious-meals-to-3-4-days-per-week-1777467157",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}