Beneficiaries of Free Nutritious Meals Programme to Be Reduced, Some Schools Removed, BGN Given One Month for Review

JAKARTA – The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has been given an additional month to improve governance of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. The move comes as President Prabowo Subianto wants one of his priority programmes to be properly on target.

Deputy Head of BGN Agustina Arumsari said the President is no longer setting a target for the number of beneficiaries in the MBG programme. Instead, the programme must be made accurately targeted. BGN is therefore refocusing its list of beneficiaries.

“What is certain is that there will be a reduction in the number of beneficiaries later,” she said at a press conference at the BGN building on Tuesday (21/7/2026).

According to her, the agency is still screening beneficiaries of the MBG programme. Of the total 62.7 million MBG beneficiaries today, a portion is highly likely to be struck off.

She revealed that several schools are likely to be removed from the MBG recipient list. However, there is as yet no definite figure on how many schools will no longer receive MBG, including which levels of schooling will be affected.

“But we have indeed seen several schools, that list already exists, but if I reveal the numbers now, it will be taken as final. Give it another month, please be patient,” she said.

Arumsari explained that the refocusing of MBG beneficiaries is being carried out under the coordination of the Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan. In addition, BGN will also coordinate with the Ministry of Finance.

“Because ultimately, as I said, there will be a budget revision, right? Well, that will have an impact on budget reductions,” she said.

BGN Secretary-General Lili Khamiliyah said the agency had already undergone budget efficiencies prior to the governance improvements to the MBG programme. The budget for the MBG programme, originally Rp 268 trillion, has been trimmed to Rp 229 trillion.