Amid Conflict, Free Nutritious Meal Programme Budget Remains at Rp 335 Trillion
JAKARTA — The head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, has stated that the Free Nutritious Meal Programme (MBG) budget will remain in line with the allocation set in the 2026 State Budget and Revenue Law (APBN).
Dadan conveyed this information following a meeting with other ministries and agencies at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs in Jakarta.
“For now, we are maintaining what has been set, particularly what has been established in the APBN 2025 law,” said Dadan on Monday (16 March 2026).
State budget allocations that have been set could be revised following attacks by Israel and the United States against Iran, which have caused global crude oil prices to surge and threaten to inflate the state budget. However, according to Dadan, the meeting concluded that the MBG budget would not be changed.
“For now, we have made no changes and are still following the developing situation,” Dadan said.
Previously, during a Full Cabinet Session at the State Palace on Friday (13 March 2026), President Prabowo Subianto indicated the government would implement budget cuts. At that forum, Prabowo cited Pakistan’s government policy of saving budgets by reducing ministerial and parliamentary salaries.
Pakistan also implemented a work-from-home scheme and limited working days to four per week to conserve fuel. “This is merely an example,” said Prabowo on Friday. “I believe we should examine this matter. I think we must also strive to implement savings.”
In response to these directives, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa announced that scenarios for cutting state expenditure across ministries and agencies have been prepared. This measure is intended to anticipate potential increased pressure on the state budget resulting from surging global crude oil prices, whilst the government continues to bear fuel subsidies.
“Within the next week or so, the Finance Ministry will determine initial steps for them to prepare and calculate. However, implementation is not yet certain,” said Purbaya when met at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs on Monday.
As is known, the conflict between Iran and Israel and the United States has disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.