Minister Muhadjir Backs Free Meal Budget at Rp7,500 Per Serving

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The issue of the budget for free meals has recently become a topic of discussion following news that the Prabowo-Gibran Synchronization Task Force Team was considering cutting the budget from the planned Rp15,000 per serving to Rp9,000 or Rp7,500 per serving.

This discussion received various responses, including from Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, who stated that a budget of Rp7,500 per serving was sufficient, even quite large in certain areas.

“I believe Rp7,500 is very sufficient for certain areas,” Muhadjir stated in Jakarta on Thursday, July 18, 2024.

According to him, the policy regarding the reduced budget for free nutritious meals is still under development. “This is still being finalized. But hopefully, whatever the final amount is, it meets the nutritional standards required for good health,” he added.

He highlighted that a single price point might not be suitable for all regions because the cost of food ingredients and the overall cost of living varies significantly across Indonesia.

Issues about budget cuts for the free nutritious meal program began after economist Heriyanto Irawan admitted to meeting with the Task Force Team. He said the team was exploring ways to reduce the daily meal cost.

“After proposing the Rp71 trillion figure, the economic team considered if the daily food cost could be more economically reduced from Rp15,000 to Rp9,000 or Rp7,500. We understand that they naturally want the program to reach more students,” Heriyanto explained.

Separately, Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka denied any confirmation regarding cuts to the budget for the Free Nutritious Meals program, which he initiated with President-elect Prabowo Subianto.

“Who said that? Please wait for confirmation first,” Gibran said in Solo, Central Java, on Thursday. He also requested that the media refrain from reporting unconfirmed information.

Regarding the budget, he believes the Rp15,000 per serving allocation is ideal and has been successfully piloted in several locations. His team also involved numerous nutrition experts in developing the program. However, he remains open to feedback from parents, students, and teachers.

The Jokowi government included a budget of Rp71 trillion for free meals in the 2025 budget proposal. With a price per serving of Rp15,000 and assuming meals are provided for 264 days a year, the program would only cover 17.9 million students.

Meanwhile, a price per serving of Rp9,000 would allow the program to reach 29.8 million students, and it could reach almost 36 million students if the price is reduced to Rp7,500 per portion.

ANTARA

Editor’s Choice: VP-Elect Gibran Rakabuming to Run Free Meal Program Trial in Solo City Next Week

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News