Budget for Free Nutritious Meals Programme Remains at Rp 335 Trillion, Says BGN Chief
The head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, has assured that there have been no budget cuts or adjustments to the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme in the 2026 national budget thus far, keeping the allocation at Rp 335 trillion.
This was confirmed in response to media inquiries following announcements by Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa regarding potential adjustments to the MBG budget. “For now, we are maintaining what has already been established in the 2026 national budget,” Dadan said at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs office in Jakarta on Monday, 16 March 2026.
He explained that discussions during a limited coordination meeting (Rakortas) on Monday afternoon involving the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, the Finance Ministry, and other government departments focused primarily on budget harmonisation in response to the developing situation.
Regarding options for adjusting certain expenditure items not directly related to food provision, Dadan stated that these matters remain under discussion with no budget change decisions yet finalised.
Dadan emphasised that the vast majority—approximately 93 per cent—of the national nutrition programme budget is allocated directly for the free nutritious meal assistance, channelled directly to regions through service units across Indonesia.
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, meanwhile, stated after the Monday coordination meeting that there remains scope for efficiency improvements in the MBG programme budget. Purbaya acknowledged that MBG is a good programme as it benefits many citizens, particularly lower-income groups. However, he suggested that programme implementation could be further optimised.
“We will make MBG’s spending more efficient. I think MBG is an excellent programme because not everyone is wealthy. We just need to optimise its implementation,” said Purbaya.
Purbaya further expressed the view that the MBG programme could operate optimally without requiring the full Rp 335 trillion budget allocation. “I think so—it doesn’t have to be Rp 335 trillion,” he said.