6 Million Duplicate Data Found in Free Nutritious Meal Programme Recipient List

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has found around 6 million duplicate data entries in the list of beneficiaries for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. The discovery has prompted the government to conduct a thorough review and evaluation of the data to ensure the assistance is accurately targeted.

BGN Head Sudaryono explained that the duplicate data emerged because one person was recorded as a recipient by more than one institution. One example is a student registered at a Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) under the Ministry of Religious Affairs, who is also listed as a student at an Islamic boarding school.

“Or he is a junior high school student within a boarding school, counted in the data of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education as a student. Then he is also recorded as a student at the Islamic boarding school,” Sudaryono said during a press conference at the Coordinating Ministry for Food in Central Jakarta, Thursday (6/8/2026).

Sudaryono explained that the government is continuing to coordinate data to eliminate duplicate entries in the MBG recipient list, involving the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the Ministry of Population and Family Development/National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and the Ministry of Health.

“So that the data can communicate with each other, allowing us to truly find the actual figures. Thus, there will be no double identities,” Sudaryono added.

When asked about the number of duplicate data entries, Sudaryono mentioned that the reduction could reach around 6 million MBG recipients. “If I am not mistaken, there is a reduction of around, yes, 6 million. We are combing through it,” he continued.