Airlangga Said That The Free Lunch Budget Without Milk Is Pegged At IDR 15,000 Per Child

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto (photo: between)

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto conveyed that the budget for the flagship free lunch program to be carried by presidential and vice presidential candidates Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka is IDR 15,000 per child. However, the budget is only specifically for lunches outside the provision of milk.

"(Free lunch budget) is IDR 15,000, and this is outside of milk," said Airlangga to the media crew when met at his office, Monday, February 26.

Airlangga said that the free lunch menu of IDR 15,000 per child would be adjusted to the regional policies of each. However, what is clear is that the budget will be evenly distributed throughout Indonesia.

"The Minister of Foreign Affairs will be released to their respective regions, we do not uniformize it. It is evenly distributed throughout Indonesia to Rp. 15,000," he said.

Previously, Airlangga said that the free lunch program would be included in the discussion of Macroeconomic Policy and the Principles of Fiscal Policy (KEM-PPKF) 2025.

"Entering (free lunch program in the 2025 State Budget)," Airlangga replied when asked by reporters at the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy office, Friday, February 23, 2024.

For information, in the Vision, Mission, and Program documents belonging to the presidential and vice presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, one of which is free lunch which will be Prabowo's first program after being officially inaugurated as President of the Republic of Indonesia. Prabowo-Gibran will provide free lunch and milk at schools and Islamic boarding schools, as well as nutrition assistance for children under five and pregnant women.

The program will take place in stages by targeting more than 80 million beneficiaries with 100 percent coverage by 2029 and is estimated to require a budget of IDR 400 trillion.

However, Airlangga did not mention how much the budget would be listed in the 2025 State Budget. In addition, he emphasized, the 2025 KEM-PPKF itself will be discussed on Monday, February 26, 2024, at a meeting of President Joko Widodo's Cabinet Session.

"PPKF is being discussed, on Monday there will be a cabinet meeting. So just wait for Monday," said Airlangga.

Meanwhile, Airlangga in his personal Instagram upload, discussed the preparation of the 2025 State Budget with Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.

In addition to discussing the Macroeconomic Framework and the Principles of Fiscal Policy (KEM-PPKF), Airlangga and Sri Mulyani also discussed the latest global and national economic conditions.

To note, the Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka are currently ahead in the quick count or quick count results. For example, the quick result of the Kompas Research and Development Agency which has reached 100 percent, this pair received a vote of 58.47 percent.