Bekasi Regency Collaboratively Oversees Free Nutritious Meals Programme

Bekasi Regency (ANTARA) - The Bekasi Regency Government in West Java is working collaboratively by mobilising all relevant stakeholders to oversee the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme through strengthening the duties and functions of the task forces that have been established. Acting Head of the Regional Secretariat of Bekasi Regency, Carwinda, has urged all MBG Task Force personnel to immediately take action to oversee this national strategic programme to prevent any delays in handling. “First, for camats as heads of task forces at the sub-district level, they must immediately establish monitoring posts. I do not want any sub-district to be slow,” she said in Cikarang on Tuesday. She also instructed the heads of task forces in each sub-district to validate beneficiary data and monitor the distribution system, including promoting improvements in production kitchen quality. She also highlighted the local economic aspect by asking sub-district task forces to encourage residents to become food raw material suppliers. “Ensure that local communities become suppliers so that the economy at the grassroots level also advances,” she stated. Carwinda outlined several key indicators that must be met for the MBG Task Force to contribute optimally to this programme, including the issuance of the Bekasi Regent’s Regulation as the legal framework. This is followed by supportive budget allocation through the Regional Budget (APBD), integrated monitoring among regional apparatus, training for Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG), sanitation guidance by community health centres, and innovations in digital-based reporting systems. Head of the Bekasi Regency Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Krido Saptono, expressed readiness to carry out updates to the target beneficiary data for the MBG programme as a form of participation in this collaborative framework. The local government will re-match beneficiary data for validation purposes so that target communities that have not yet received the service can be accommodated immediately. Up to the end of April 2026, the MBG Programme in Bekasi Regency has reached 548,248 beneficiaries from various community groups. This additional nutritious food programme has been provided to a total of 453,594 students from early childhood education levels to junior high school. The service has also been expanded to target 10,370 pregnant women, 19,891 breastfeeding mothers, and 64,393 toddlers. Meanwhile, regarding the readiness of service kitchens, there are currently 318 SPPG kitchens recorded across Bekasi Regency, spread across various areas. This number will be re-surveyed and adjusted to the needs of the beneficiary community.