Budget Committee Head Estimates Free Nutritious Meals Budget to Drop to Rp 174 Trillion

The Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Budget Committee (Banggar), Said Abdullah, has stated that the budget for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme is set to decrease to Rp 174 trillion for the 2027 fiscal year. This marks a significant reduction from the Rp 268 trillion allocated in 2026. “For MBG, it will definitely go down,” Said remarked at the parliament complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday. He noted that the number of required Nutritional Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) is estimated at 21,000 points, which will serve 84 million students. Said calculated that the total budget, including health-related components such as stunting prevention and support for pregnant women, would not exceed Rp 174 trillion. He expressed hope that the reduced budget would not affect the quality of nutrition delivered to beneficiaries. “The key is not to have a bombastic budget figure that then drops sharply. What matters is maintaining quality, particularly the governance and nutritional standards received by our students. With this budget reduction, quality will remain intact,” he explained. The final decision on the budget is scheduled for September and will be made jointly with the government.