KSP Audiences with BGN to Evaluate Beneficiaries and Free Nutritious Meal Kitchens

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Chief of Presidential Staff Dudung Abdurachman held an audience with National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Head Nanik S. Deyang and her two deputies, Agustina Arumsari and retired Major General Trenggono, to discuss the evaluation of beneficiaries and the operational aspects of free nutritious meal kitchens. Nanik and her deputies visited the KSP Office at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Wednesday to meet Dudung before the three BGN officials attended a working meeting with the House of Representatives. Following the audience, Dudung explained that several issues were highlighted by the KSP and BGN regarding the implementation of the free nutritious meal programme, including evaluating target recipients and a desire to refocus recipients so that only those truly in need receive the benefit. “I once checked and found several cases in Jakarta where food distributed in middle-income schools was not eaten. This will be reassessed so that the programme is truly effective,” Dudung said during a press conference at the KSP Office on Wednesday. Therefore, Dudung stated that the BGN will verify and validate recipient data so that the state budget financing the programme can be absorbed effectively and precisely on target. The next evaluation discussed during the audience, he said, concerned the quality of meal kitchens managed by the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG). Dudung explained the BGN would reorganise the currently operating SPPGs to ensure their work is effective and efficient. He stated the inspection was prompted by findings of contract discrepancies between the government and SPPG partners. “What I mean is that certain SPPGs have cooperation contracts projecting them to serve, for example, 3,000 beneficiaries, with a certain incentive calculation,” he said. Furthermore, regarding the quality of kitchens managed by SPPGs, Dudung stated the KSP would assist the National Nutrition Agency in directly inspecting the operations of free nutritious meal kitchens in various regions. “The quality of operational SPPGs is very crucial. Going forward, direct inspections will be carried out in several areas. We from KSP will help check which regions are ready and operational, especially regarding the suitability of the number of beneficiaries,” Dudung concluded.