Purbaya approves MBG efficiency as long as food quality is not reduced

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has approved proposals for efficiency in the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme, as long as it does not reduce the quality of food provided to the public.

He explained that the budget cut proposals actually came from the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), not from the Ministry of Finance.

“As long as there is efficiency, I agree, and it doesn’t reduce the quality of the food itself,” Purbaya said when met at the Ministry of Finance office in Jakarta on Friday.

In the latest scheme, the MBG programme is planned to run for five days a week as part of the efficiency measures. This policy is expected to maintain the programme’s benefits for the public without excessively burdening the state budget.

The government is currently adjusting the programme’s implementation to current conditions, including options to reduce operational days.

The Finance Minister assessed that changing the scheme to five days does not diminish the programme’s main objectives, but rather regulates the implementation rhythm to be more efficient and sustainable.

The government itself wants to ensure that every state expenditure delivers optimal impact for the public.

Besides the MBG programme, Purbaya is also preparing efficiency measures for other budget items across all ministries and agencies. These efforts are part of the next phase in state budget restructuring.

“In other areas across all ministries, there is efficiency. There is a third phase. Basically, the third phase is designed to cover existing budget shortfalls,” said the State Treasurer.

Nevertheless, he has not detailed the total value of efficiencies to be implemented, as the government is still calculating budget needs and potential savings.