March 27, 2026 | 08:30 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa stated that there will be no budget cuts to the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG). The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is actually adjusting expenses through efficiency measures.
"I didn't cut the budget, I didn't cut MBG. They conducted their own efficiency," said Purbaya at the Ministry of Finance office in Central Jakarta on Friday, March 27, 2026.
He mentioned that the efficiency carried out by BGN on the MBG program does not reduce the quality of the food.
According to Purbaya, efficiency occurs not only in MBG, but also in various ministries and agencies. This step is carried out gradually as part of budget restructuring.
He stated that in the third stage of the restructuring, the government will devise a scheme to cover the state budget deficit.
Previously, the National Nutrition Agency proposed making the Free Nutritious Meal Program more efficient by reducing the distribution frequency from six days to five days per week. The discourse is said to save about Rp40 trillion per year.
According to Purbaya, the potential Rp40 trillion efficiency gain from the MBG has not been included in the government's current preparation of the targeted Rp80 trillion efficiency gain from ministry and agency spending.
Read: BGN: 764 Free Nutritious Meal Kitchens Suspended Across Indonesia
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