BGN to Reduce Free Nutritious Meal Recipients, Excluding Elite High School Students
The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is set to restructure the beneficiaries of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme, which includes removing recipients currently categorised as well-off.
BGN Deputy Head Agustina Arumsari stated that the beneficiaries to be evaluated for the MBG programme include students from elite high schools who receive daily allowances from their parents of up to Rp 100,000.
“For example, high school students may no longer need to receive Free Nutritious Meals (MBG). Especially for high-class high schools, where students’ daily allowances are already between Rp 100,000 and Rp 200,000. They may no longer need to participate in this programme,” said Deputy Head of BGN Agustina Arumsari at the House of Representatives (DPR RI), as reported on Tuesday (16/06/2026).
According to her, by reducing the number of beneficiaries in the upper-class high school category, approximately 8 million recipients will be removed.
Despite the reduction in the number of beneficiaries, Agustina ensured that the essence of the MBG programme—improving nutrition for those entitled to receive it—will not be diminished.
“From preliminary simulations, the number of beneficiaries could decrease by about 8 million people. However, we are not removing the essence of the nutritional intervention carried out by the government,” she emphasised.
Agustina explained that this refocusing effort is being undertaken to ensure that MBG beneficiaries are accurately targeted. The BGN has been coordinating directly with the Ministry of Health and other ministries and agencies to realise this effort.
“This refocusing is necessary so that government assistance is more precisely targeted, ensuring that the goal of nutritional improvement is still achieved through more efficient budget usage,” she explained.
This reduction in beneficiaries will impact the budgetary requirements for the MBG programme. Consequently, the BGN’s indicative ceiling for 2027, which previously reached approximately Rp 270.2 trillion to serve 81.5 million beneficiaries, will still be under evaluation.
Agustina emphasised that the government is recalculating budget requirements alongside the refocusing process being conducted with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas.
“Clearly, there will be further efficiency. We are still exercising how much more we can economise. The goal is for nutritional intervention to be achieved, but with a more focused group of beneficiaries,” she said.