BGN Chief Reveals Duplicate Data in Free Meal Programme, Plans to Purge 6 Million Recipients

Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Sudaryono has revealed findings of duplicate data among recipients of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. For instance, the duplicate data shows one person registered to receive two portions because they are enrolled in two educational institutions.

“There are a few, for example, a real example is a child registered at an MTs (Islamic junior high school) but they are also a student at an Islamic boarding school, or a junior high school student within a boarding school, counted in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s data as a student, and then also registered as a boarding school student,” Sudaryono told reporters after a meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Food office in Central Jakarta on Thursday (6/8/2026).

To address this, Sudaryono stated that the data will be improved first by coordinating with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the Ministry of Population and the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and the Ministry of Health. He aims to establish a single database for MBG recipients.

“So that we truly find that there is no double identity,” he explained.

He noted that the findings have resulted in a reduction of MBG recipients. The BGN now plans to reduce the number of recipients by up to 6 million people.

“If I’m not mistaken, there is a reduction of around 6 million or so. We will continue to purge the data,” he disclosed.