MBG Efficiency Measures Could Slash State Spending by Rp 1 Trillion Monthly

Head of the Government Communication Body (Bakom) Muhammad Qodari stated that budget efficiency measures for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme will save the State Budget (APBN) around Rp 1 trillion each month. During a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday (17/6/2026), Qodari affirmed the government’s commitment to improving the governance of the MBG programme’s implementation, including a moratorium on new Nutrition Service Units (SPPG), recalculating incentives, and focusing on target recipients in the groups most in need. “According to a report or a meeting held some time ago at the Coordinating Ministry for Food, the calculation shows savings of up to approximately Rp 1 trillion every month. This means Rp 12 trillion could be saved in a year,” Qodari said. He added that regarding other innovative steps by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to achieve financial efficiency as part of improving MBG governance, his office is still awaiting a comprehensive study from the agency, which will be conducted during the school holiday period. Several evaluations to be carried out include recalculating incentives, the number of SPPGs, and optimising beneficiaries for breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women, and toddlers. “The future focus will also be on building SPPGs in 3T regions or remote areas so that the most vulnerable groups can receive maximum benefits,” he stated. It was previously reported that Deputy Head of BGN Agustina Arumsari, following a meeting with Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives in Jakarta on Monday (15/6/2026), said the MBG programme would be focused on groups deemed most in need of nutritional intervention, such as pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, toddlers, and early childhood children. High school students, especially those from affluent families, may potentially no longer be target recipients of MBG. She conveyed that after reorganising the beneficiaries, BGN will focus on structuring the governance of SPPGs. During a meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Food on Thursday (11/6/2026), Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan stated that the number of SPPGs has now exceeded the initial target of around 21,000 points. There are currently 27,877 points, an excess of 6,877 points.