Purbaya to Meet Sudaryono, Discuss BGN Stopping Free Nutritious Meals for Affluent Students
Jakarta - Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has stated that he will meet with the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Sudaryono, to discuss budget savings for the National Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. The meeting is scheduled for next week. It was originally planned for this week but was rescheduled due to a change in leadership. ‘The chairman has changed. We’ll let them consolidate first. We’ll meet again once a date is set. They are still consolidating,’ he explained when met at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs on Thursday (23/7/2026).
Regarding the BGN’s plan to stop providing MBG to students from affluent families, or those in desiles 8 to 10, Purbaya admitted he has not yet received the calculation for the amount of budget savings. However, he confirmed that this move would create savings. ‘I don’t know the details yet, I have to ask the Head of MBG what the procedure is,’ he said. ‘There will definitely be a reduction, it’s a saving, not a cut. But it depends on how they handle the technicalities later,’ Purbaya stressed.
The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) revealed that the provisional budget ceiling for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme for 2026 has been reduced to Rp 229 trillion from the previous allocation of Rp 268 trillion. This adjustment was made as part of the government’s efforts to improve programme governance to make it more effective and efficient. BGN Deputy Head Agustina Arumsari stated that this budget figure is still provisional and could change if the agency finds further room for efficiency in the programme’s implementation. ‘But please note it is provisional. It could change if we can be more efficient,’ Agustina said during a press conference at the BGN office in Jakarta on Tuesday (21/7/2026). She emphasised, however, that budget efficiency is not the agency’s main goal, with the primary focus being on improving the governance of the MBG programme to ensure that the distribution of aid is better targeted.