Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Says No Discussion of Free Lunch Program Yet in State Budget Talks
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20 March 2024 10:42 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on Tuesday that presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto's free lunch program has not been discussed in the Macroeconomic Policy and Fiscal Policy Principles (KEM PPKF) discussion for the 2025 State Budget.
She said that the KEM-PPKF discussion so far is still in the initial phase in the form of an estimated range. Thus, ministry spending has not been discussed in detail
Sri Mulyani also said that the 2025 State Budget heed its own timeline, in which the final results will be announced by President Joko Widodo in the Statement of Account on August 16. On that basis, the Ministry of Finance will not issue any statement regarding the free lunch program and its relation to the 2025 State Budget.
"We are trying to keep good political communication. Therefore, we will not say anything [on the free lunch program]," said Sri Mulyani.
Although the budget has not been discussed, the free lunch program has been tested in Tangerang and Purwakarta. It was even discussed at a cabinet meeting. The budget needed to provide nutritious food is estimated at up to Rp180 trillion per year.
Expert Staff for the Development of Leading Sectors and Infrastructure of Bappenas, Leonardo A. A. Teguh Sambodo, previously said in early March that the free lunch budget had been discussed within his institution. The budget for the flagship program carried by candidate number 2, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, has also been calculated.
Special Staff of the Minister of Finance for Strategic Communication Yustinus Prastowo explained earlier that the State Budget goes through several processes, which are currently at the KEM-PPKF discussion stage. After, the State Budget will be discussed with DPR in May to be initiated as a State Budget Bill. The State Budget Bill will be determined by DPR along with the Statement of Account in August and September, and it will be promulgated in October.
ANTARA | SAVERO ARISTIA WIENARKO
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