2026 Free Nutritious Meals Budget Cut to Rp268 Trillion, Here’s Why
The government has trimmed the budget for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme in the 2026 State Budget (APBN). The budget, initially allocated at Rp335 trillion, has been adjusted to Rp268 trillion.
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the move was taken on direct instruction from President Prabowo Subianto, aiming to ensure funds are managed more effectively and efficiently through tighter governance at the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).
MBG had reached Rp75 trillion as of 30 April, about 22.4 percent of the initial ceiling. However, going forward the figure will not be Rp335 trillion anymore. There will be some savings in line with the President’s instructions to enable the funds to be used more effectively, Purbaya said at the APBN KiTa press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday, 20 May 2026.
The Finance Minister signalled that the savings process is likely to continue. Currently, President Prabowo is re-evaluating the best scheme to ensure that the budget cuts do not compromise the nutritional quality provided to school students.
The President is refining the programme management and how the BGN spends the budget. The most important thing is that the programme’s effectiveness in feeding school students remains safeguarded, added Purbaya.
Amid the MBG budget adjustment, total government expenditure posted a significant year-on-year rise of 34.3 percent to Rp1,082.8 trillion. This equates to 28.2 percent of the total APBN 2026 expenditure target of Rp3,842.7 trillion.
The sharp increase in spending, particularly on ministries/agencies (K/L), which rose by 57.9 percent, is claimed to be the result of a strategy to distribute budget allocations evenly throughout the year so they do not pile up at the end of the period.
Although spending grew rapidly, the government remains optimistic about fiscal health with a deficit still contained at 0.64 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by the end of April 2026.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) opened opportunities for pesantren to run MBG kitchens independently. The MBG programme is designed to be flexible and can mobilise the pesantren economy.
According to Dadan, BGN activities managed by the event organiser (EO) are not merely ceremonial; they are part of a public communications strategy on the issue of national nutrition.
Meanwhile, the chiller used is a second-hand unit. The Dapur Citeurup 2 kitchen also does not provide a rest area for the Head of SPPG, the Nutrition Inspector and the Financial Inspector.
One kitchen highlighted by Nanik was the SPPG Tani Mulya 3 in Ngamprah District, West Bandung. The MBG kitchen had been converted from a three-storey house to a lower level.
MBG is not understood merely as an aid programme, but as a social investment for the future of Indonesia’s children.
The Indonesian National Police (Polri) stated the operational readiness of 166 SPPGs, inaugurated by President Prabowo Subianto simultaneously.
The MBG programme is viewed not merely as meal distribution at schools but as a strategic intervention to help break the nutrition challenges among vulnerable groups.
A total of 24 SPPGs in Solo displayed a variety of MBG menus and distributed 2,400 free meals.