TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Deputy Minister of Finance Suahasil Nazara reported the disbursement of the budget for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program amounting to Rp710.5 billion. The MBG funds were disbursed using the 2025 state budget.

The realization of the MBG budget was reported by Suahasil amid the publication of the state budget for January and February 2025.

"As of March 12, 2025, disbursements have reached Rp710.5 billion, reaching more than 2 million beneficiaries," he said at the Ministry of Finance office on Thursday, March 13, 2025.

Suahasil explained that the use of MBG funds had reached beneficiaries including pre-Elementary School, Elementary School, Junior High School, Senior High School, Islamic Boarding School, Special Needs School, toddlers, and pregnant women. Meanwhile, the number of Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) that have been operated is 726.

As known, the budget for President Prabowo Subianto's priority program was set at Rp71 trillion in the 2025 state budget. However, Suahasil stated that Prabowo wanted the distribution target to be accelerated, thus requiring additional budget.

Previously, nutritious meals targeted 17.9 million beneficiaries, consisting of 15.5 million school children and 2.4 million pregnant, breastfeeding, and toddler women. This target was then increased.

The President has instructed that in 2025, the recipients should reach 82.9 million people," said Suahasil.

Hence, the budget allocation was increased by Rp100 trillion, totaling Rp171 trillion. One of the fulfillments of the MBG funds was obtained from the efficiency policy of the 2025 state budget.

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