October 17, 2025 | 12:07 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is rushing to optimize the absorption of the Rp71 trillion budget for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program this year.
BGN Chair, Dadan Hindayana, said the budget absorption is proportional to the number of beneficiaries. As of Thursday, October 16, 2025, the free meal program has benefited 35.6 million people out of the targeted 82.9 million.
Dadan mentioned that the number of beneficiaries is reflected through the formation of Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG), or the MBG public kitchens. According to him, one SPPG would absorb a budget ranging from Rp900 million to Rp1 billion per month.
There are currently 12,003 public kitchens across the country.
"In the next 10 days, Rp23 trillion is already absorbed, and it will increase by Rp6 trillion to Rp33 trillion," Dadan told reporters at JS Luwansa Hotel, Jakarta, on Thursday, October 16, 2025.
This year, BGN received Rp71 trillion and a reserve fund of Rp100 trillion to carry out the MBG program. But Dadan said the agency may only absorp Rp71 trillion and an additional Rp28 trillion, and the remaining funds will be returned to the state.
Dadan is confident the free nutritious meal program will reach its beneficiary target of 82.9 million by year's end. "We are optimistic that even if the beneficiary only reached 70 million, the disbursement will exceed the Rp71 trillion ceiling," he said.
The Ministry of Finance is pushing for BGN to optimize the Rp71 trillion budget for the MBG program. As of October 3, 2025, the ministry recorded that the realization of the free nutritious meal program's budget has only reached Rp20.6 trillion, or 29 percent of the budget allocation.
"If the allocated Rp71 trillion is not fully used, it's a waste. Because it means the activities are not fully implemented," Deputy Minister of Finance Suahasil Nazara told reporters on Thursday, October 16, 2025.
According to him, the government's goal for the program is not just to spend the budget, but to ensure a successful run of the program that benefits the citizens.
Meanwhile, Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the additional budget of Rp100 trillion that BGN previously requested has not yet been allocated. According to Purbaya, the ministry is focused on pushing BGN to meet the absorption target of Rp71 trillion.
"What I want to push them for is the earmarked Rp71 trillion this year. Currently, only 30 percent has been absorbed," he said told media crew on Thursday.
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