Magelang Regent Ensures Free Nutritious Meals Programme Pricing Complies with Regulations

Magelang Regent, Central Java, Grengseng Pamuji, has responded to public complaints regarding the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals Programme (MBG) in his district. He emphasised that menu pricing standardisation has been strictly regulated and is being implemented in accordance with central government regulations.

Grengseng stated that transparency regarding the contract value per portion is crucial to address public doubts that have recently scrutinised food quality in various regions.

“Regarding the pricing amount, it has been set according to programme specifications. The price per portion menu is Rp8,000 for the smaller serving and Rp10,000 for the larger one,” the regent told journalists on Friday, 27 February.

The Free Nutritious Meals Programme has become a particular focus of public attention. This has been triggered by various complaints from parents regarding inconsistent meal variations and nutritional quality that is deemed non-uniform. Such dissatisfaction has been reported not only in Magelang but also in various other regions.

In response to these developments, Magelang District Government has acted swiftly to coordinate efforts. The district government claims to have submitted clarifications and detailed reports during a joint evaluation meeting with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).

This evaluation is expected to synchronise nutrition quality standards with available budget ceilings, ensuring there is no longer any disparity between the economic value and nutritional value received by students.