Head of the National Nutrition Agency: Free Lunch Program to Start in January Next Year

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi has appointed Dadan Hindayana as the head of the National Nutrition Agency, which was formed to carry out the free lunch program, or the free nutritious meal program. The program, a priority agenda of the president and vice president-elect, Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is scheduled to start on January 2, 2025.

"My job is to prepare everything so that the free nutritious meal program can be implemented in January," Dadan said at the Palace in Jakarta on Monday, August 19, 2024.

Dadan said that although the free lunch program will not be launched before 2025, the agency has already started working, especially since President Jokowi has issued a presidential regulation. Dadan is optimistic that the program will be well prepared.

The National Nutrition Agency has received a budget of Rp71 trillion to be allocated for the free lunch program and the salaries of its employees. At present, the agency is still reviewing the details of the free nutritious meal program, from portions to prices.

While delivering a speech on the draft of the 2025 State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (RAPBN), Jokowi confirmed that the programs of the President-elect and Vice President Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka were included in the state budget.

"The Free Nutritious Meal Program will be implemented in phases in line with technical and institutional readiness and accountable governance," Jokowi said at the DPR plenary session in Jakarta on Friday, August 16.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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