Free Nutritious Meal Beneficiary Criteria to Be Revised, BGN to Use National Socio-Economic Data

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) will revise the criteria for beneficiaries of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. One of the indicators to be used in determining recipients of President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship programme is the national single socio-economic data (DTSEN).

BGN Deputy Head Agustina Arumsari said the agency is currently focusing on reviewing or refocusing the programme’s beneficiaries. Therefore, it will use various data to determine recipients so that the programme is truly well-targeted, including DTSEN.

‘Desil is just one of the indicators. As I mentioned earlier, there is nutritional vulnerability, socio-economic conditions where desil might be one parameter, and then access to nutritional fulfilment,’ she said during a press conference at the BGN Office on Thursday (18/6/2026).

She stated that the agency is still processing various data to determine the criteria for MBG beneficiaries. This will also be adjusted to the budget provided by the central government.

Regarding the MBG programme budget for 2026, Arumsari admitted she could not yet confirm the amount. She said discussions with the Ministry of Finance will continue to determine the budget.

‘Because the budget will be discussed with the Ministry of Finance tomorrow and next week. So, we will see how much efficiency we can achieve by applying those indicators,’ she said.