MBG to Be Reduced to 5 Days, Saving Budget of Rp 40 Trillion

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has disclosed that the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is preparing an efficiency scheme for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. One option under review is reducing the distribution frequency from six to five times per week. According to detikFinance, Purbaya assesses that this step could save up to approximately Rp 40 trillion per year. This calculation is preliminary and prepared by the BGN. “So there is also efficiency from MBG. There is a significant reduction, they just say Rp 40 trillion as a rough first calculation, but it could be more. It’s not me cutting it, they are doing it themselves, because they (BGN) say there can still be efficiency under the current conditions,” Purbaya told reporters at his office in Central Jakarta on Wednesday (25/3/2026). Unfortunately, Purbaya could not yet provide details on the savings plan. He stated that the announcement regarding it will be made by the BGN chairman. “With that alone, our buffer is still sufficient,” Purbaya said. Purbaya noted that the savings plan does not yet include the Rp 80 trillion efficiency mentioned earlier by State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi. In addition to MBG, savings will also be implemented from other ministries and institutions (K/L). “I will make it even across all K/L. We will determine from here and then they cut it themselves,” Purbaya said. For information, the total budget allocation for the MBG programme throughout 2026 is Rp 335 trillion. This figure is more than five times higher than last year’s realisation of Rp 51.5 trillion. In Law Number 7 of 2025 on the 2026 State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN), Rp 255.5 trillion is allocated for national nutrition fulfilment or the purchase of nutritious food. This means the cost for purchasing food will only be 76% of the total budget allocated for the MBG programme.