State Secretary: Budget Efficiency Will Not Hinder Free Nutritious Meals Programme

Jakarta — State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi has stated that budget efficiency policy will not reduce flagship programmes with direct public impact, including the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme and rural schools.

He emphasised that the government would continue to prioritise more productive and targeted spending. “We would rather reduce spending that we consider less productive,” said Prasetyo after attending a coordination meeting at the Defence Ministry in Jakarta on Tuesday.

According to him, efficiency measures are being implemented through budget scrutiny of line items deemed not to have significant public impact. Funds from those budget lines are subsequently reallocated to strengthen programmes whose benefits are felt directly by the public.

Prasetyo explained that this policy aims to ensure state budget is used optimally to help ease the public’s burden, particularly amid economic challenges. “That is what we then reallocate so that productive programmes, programmes with impact, programmes that can help ease the public’s burden, are what must be prioritised,” he said.

Previously, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto assured that the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme and Red-White Village Cooperatives would not be affected by budget efficiency policy.

The government is currently drawing up budget efficiency plans for various ministries and agencies as one effort to maintain the 2026 state budget deficit below 3 per cent. However, Airlangga explained to journalists at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs in Jakarta on Monday that the government would not cut budgets for flagship programmes.