Dozens of Free Nutritious Meal Kitchens in East Java Halt Operations Due to Budget Freeze

Dozens of Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) kitchens in East Java have been forced to temporarily close due to delays in budget disbursement. In Ponorogo Regency alone, 21 Nutrition Programme Service Units (SPPG) reportedly stopped operating because programme funds had not been cleared through their virtual accounts. Responding to the issue, East Java MBG Task Force Head Emil Elestianto Dardak stated his party would immediately report the payment disputes to the National Nutrition Agency (BGN). Emil, who is also the Deputy Governor of East Java, explained that the fund distribution mechanism involves direct transfers to each SPPG’s virtual account. Based on previous evaluations, he suspects that incomplete administrative requirements have triggered the disbursement bottleneck. Despite the issues, he expressed confidence that the BGN would resolve the matter promptly.

The sustainability of the MBG programme in East Java faces further threats following the suspension of 372 SPPGs by the BGN. These units were sanctioned for failing to obtain a Sanitation Hygiene Eligibility Certificate (SLHS) and wastewater treatment installations (IPAL). Emil urged the suspended SPPG managers to move quickly to complete the mandatory documents within a 30-day tolerance period. He guaranteed that the East Java Provincial Government would not complicate the licensing bureaucracy but stressed that public health and environmental standards must not be sacrificed to meet operational targets. To overcome these obstacles, the provincial government is intensifying coordination with the BGN and the Nutrition Programme Service Offices (KPPG) in Surabaya and Jember. However, summaries from the KPPG indicate that many SPPGs have neglected their administrative paperwork, including the SLHS issuance process. According to the latest data from the provincial government, there are 4,400 SPPG points across East Java, with 4,000 units already operating and 400 still in the preparation phase.