MBG to Be Cut to 5 Days, Purbaya: Could Save Rp 40 Trillion

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has disclosed plans for efficiency measures in the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme by reducing the number of operational days. This efficiency is expected to save Rp 40 trillion per year. He stated that the distribution days for MBG are planned to be cut to just five days from the previous six days per week. “Normally it’s six days a week, now it’s five days. So there’s efficiency in MBG too, with quite a significant reduction. He said it’s (savings of) Rp 40 trillion a year, a rough initial calculation, but it could be more,” said Purbaya at his office in Jakarta on Wednesday (25/3/2026). However, he did not provide further details on the efficiency measures for the MBG programme. He said that the announcement regarding this policy will be made directly by the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana. According to him, this step demonstrates that the BGN is striving for budget efficiency amid the current volatile economic conditions due to global geopolitical conflicts. “This isn’t me cutting it, it’s them (BGN) doing it themselves because they say there can still be efficiency in the current situation,” he said. He added that the MBG budget efficiency has not yet been included in the total value of efficiencies set by President Prabowo Subianto at Rp 81 trillion. It will first be reported to President Prabowo. “Let the Head of BGN announce it, as he also needs to report to the President,” said Purbaya.