BGN Chief: Free Nutritious Meal Programme Suspended During Eid Holiday, State Saves Rp 5 Trillion

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has decided to temporarily suspend the distribution of the Free Nutritious Meal Programme (MBG) during the Eid al-Fitr period. The policy is stated to save state funds by approximately Rp 5 trillion.

BGN Chief Dadan Hindayana explained that the temporary cessation was coordinated with the school holiday schedule and Eid al-Fitr celebrations.

“For Eid al-Fitr, I must inform you that for schoolchildren, the final distribution will be on 13 March. Then, for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children under five, the final distribution is today,” Dadan said to journalists at the Attorney General’s office in Jakarta on Tuesday (17/3/2026).

Dadan stated that the MBG programme would resume normal operations at the end of March. “After that we will celebrate Eid al-Fitr and the nutritious meal programme will resume operations on 31 March,” he said.

The temporary cessation of MBG operations is not merely following the holiday calendar. This measure is regarded as a substantial budget efficiency initiative.

“That (savings) is approximately around Rp 5 trillion, conserved in this way,” Dadan said.

Furthermore, Dadan emphasised that BGN is currently conducting calculations to ensure more efficient budget utilisation, particularly in response to global economic phenomena.

“Of course we must also develop a sense of crisis and we are doing things that allow for more efficient budget usage,” he added.

BGN is known to have a budget allocation of Rp 268 trillion. Dadan said the agency plans to optimise the main budget allocation and seeks to avoid drawing on the standby funds prepared by the government amounting to Rp 67 trillion.

“We optimise the 268 (trillion) and try not to count the standby. So we will make effective use of the 268 (trillion),” he concluded.