Finance Minister to Discuss Free Nutritious Meal Budget Efficiency with New BGN Head

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has announced plans to meet with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to discuss budget efficiency for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. The discussion will follow up on BGN’s plan to potentially cut the provision of MBG for students from well-off families, specifically those in the 8th to 10th decile of income.

If the BGN’s plan proceeds, Purbaya believes it will result in savings within the MBG budget as part of the ongoing efficiency efforts. However, he admitted that the government does not yet know the detailed technicalities of BGN’s plan to reduce the meals for students from affluent backgrounds. This includes the potential reduction in the number of beneficiaries and the exact amount of budget savings from the measure.

Purbaya stated he needs to first consult with the new BGN Head, Sudaryono, to understand the procedures, particularly from the budgeting perspective. He stressed that this move is not intended to cut the MBG budget, but is purely a cost-saving measure in its management. A meeting is tentatively planned for the following week.