TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian said that the free nutritious meals would be provided through the Regional Revenue or APBD. He claimed that there are 413 districts and 93 cities in all provinces that want to participate in President Prabowo's flagship program.

Tito said he would check the financial capacity of each region that wanted to join. He said he had held meeting virtually with all regional secretaries and some had allocated budgets.

"For 2025, the contribution of regions that want to participate is about Rp2.3 trillion. It will start in September. After the regional heads are inaugurated, there will be a budget shift or changes in the APBD," Tito said at the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on January 17, 2025.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has calculated a target of 2,000 to 4,000 Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) starting in September with a district/city budget of Rp2.3 trillion plus a provincial budget of around Rp2.5 trillion or a total of Rp4.8 trillion.

"So we can build about 4,000 SPPGs in schools," said Tito.

There are two ways for local governments to participate in free nutritious meals. First, local governments can build SPPGs and encourage communities to produce raw materials. Second, local governments can channel funds to schools to create infrastructure that is then managed by the schools.

"Earlier, the President instructed us to coordinate with the head of the National Nutrition Agency, points that have not been targeted. Maybe they can be covered by the regions in those schools," said Tito.

However, the operation of free nutritious meals in schools will remain under the control of the National Nutrition Agency. Local governments can be involved in the supervision through the district/city inspectorate.

Earlier, the Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, said that the current budget of Rp71 trillion for the free nutritious meal program would only last until June 2025. In fact, these funds have not been able to cover all school children in Indonesia.

"Now Rp71 trillion is enough until June. "If we want everything from January next year, then we need a budget of Rp420 trillion," said the Chairman General of the National Mandate Party (PAN) on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.

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