NTB proposes 135 new free meal kitchen points for underdeveloped regions

Mataram (ANTARA) - The provincial government of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) has proposed the construction of around 135 kitchens, or Nutritional Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG), in disadvantaged, frontier and outermost (3T) areas for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme.

Fathul Gani, head of the NTB provincial MBG task force, said the proposal was submitted to widen the reach of the MBG programme, particularly for pupils, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and toddlers in remote areas.

“The proposed MBG kitchens for the 3T areas are spread across the whole of Bumi Gora. There are 75 proposals on Sumbawa Island and 60 proposed sites on Lombok Island,” he said in Mataram on Friday.

He stressed that most of the proposed new sites are in hard-to-reach areas, requiring special schemes to deliver MBG meals to beneficiaries.

According to him, the number of beneficiaries in each 3T area differs from urban areas. Distribution by each 3T kitchen will be adjusted to conditions on the ground, the number of targets, and the level of access difficulty in each region.

Ideally, one MBG kitchen serves around 1,000 to 3,000 beneficiaries. However, for remote areas, this can be adjusted by considering population distribution and geographical conditions.

“If there are only 300 or 400 beneficiaries, they will still be served. Everything is adjusted to the number of targets and conditions of the area,” said Fathul.

To reach areas inaccessible by four-wheeled vehicles, the government, according to Fathul, is preparing various distribution alternatives, including the use of trail motorcycles and sea transport for small islands.

“It will depend on the conditions of each area. We can use modified two-wheeled vehicles. For archipelagic areas, the kitchen can be located on the mainland coast, with food delivered by speedboat or boat,” he said.

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is currently re-registering targets and beneficiary numbers. The re-registration is being carried out to ensure that President Prabowo’s priority programme reaches the right recipients, based on their names and addresses.

Fathul said the data verification process also prioritises communities that have not yet been served, particularly in remote areas that have not been recorded.

He added that the latest technical guidelines from the BGN regarding the expansion of beneficiary targets are still being prepared.