President Prabowo is Optimistic about Meeting Target of 82.9 Million MBG Beneficiaries

President Prabowo Subianto leads cabinet limited meeting with Red and White Cabinet Ministers at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday (10/29). (Photo by: Bureau of Press, Media, and Information of Presidential Secretariat)

President Prabowo Subianto led cabinet limited meeting with Red and White Cabinet Ministers at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday (10/29). The meeting discussed updates on the implementation of national priority programs in various sectors. It also served as a forum for the President to monitor the achievement and progress of the ongoing programs.

“Today, some Ministers, Coordinating Ministers, Bank of Indonesia Governor, and Head of the Financial Services Authority were invited by the President to discuss their respective sector. The President also wanted to monitor and received the progress report directly in the sectors,” Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana said to the media crew.

During the meeting, the Head of BGN gave report to the President on the recent updates of the free nutritious meal (MBG) program. Dadan reported that to date as many as 13,514 Nutritional Provision Service Unit (SPPG) have been established throughout the countries.

“Alhamdulillah, today we have reported that there are currently 13,514 SPPGs spread across 38 provinces, 509 regencies and 7022 districts, and they have the potential to serve 39.5 million beneficiaries. Insya Allah, by the end of the month we will probably serve 40 million beneficiaries,” he mentioned.

Meanwhile, budget absorption for the MBG program, according to Dadan has reached half of the provided budget. “Today, nutritious meals program has reached 35.6 trillion, it has covered 50.1 percent,” he explained.

The Head of BGN also expressed his optimism on achieving the targeted beneficiaries of MBG program by the end of the year. “We will continue to strive for the target by the end of the year, and hopefully we can provide the service for 82.9 million [beneficiaries] by the end of the year,” he said.

Dadan also added that such optimism is based on the implementation of the program, such as the number of SPPGs that continues to grow per day.

As we all know that we could establish new SPPGs every day amounting to 200 SPPGs, which can potentially serve 600 thousand beneficiaries every day. We will catch up within two months, so we can reach 82.9 million beneficiaries. The President would appreciate it, but he would also understand if we could only reach 75 million beneficiaries,” he remarked. (Bureau of Press, Media, and Information of Presidential Secretariat) (AW/MUR)