Sri Mulyani: If The Budget For The Nutritious Eating Program Can't Be INTENSIFIED, It Can Enter BA BUN

Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani (Photo; Doc. Antara)

Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani revealed that the budget for free nutritious food of IDR 71 trillion for 2025 has not been determined into certain ministries or institutions (K/L).

Sri Mulyani conveyed that although the budget has been set into the draft state budget (RAPBN) in 2025, details will be detailed by the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka Synchronization Task Force Team.

"For the design of the program, the explanation and how, the execution will be from Pak Prabowo's team which will explain," he said at a press conference on the latest economic fundamental conditions and the 2025 APBN plan, Monday, June 24.

Sri Mulyani said, if the budget has not been set into a certain K/L even though it has been stipulated in the posture of the APBN, then the budget mechanism will be included in the budget reserve, which is usually allocated into the State General Treasurer Budget Section (BA BUN).

According to Sri Mulyani, the reason for the program budget of Rp71 trillion for the free nutritious eating program was included in the BA BUN reserve fund because it did not yet have a budget allocation description.

"What if it's not in the posture yet? Yes, we spare it, it could be included in the BUN, but it's still until mid-August the bill was prepared," he said.

Therefore, Sri Mulyani explained that if up to the submission of the financial note for the 2025 State Revenue and Expenditure Budget Draft (RAPBN) the budget allocation of the program had not been submitted, the current government would back up the free nutritious food funds in the BUN budget.

"So we will see and synchronize how the team from the elected president prepares the program whether it has been determined in the form of a program, whose executor, will be determined how the allocation will be. If not, it means that he is reserved in the State General Treasurer," he said.

On the same occasion, Member of the Finance Division of the Task Force for Synchronization of the Government, Thomas Djiwandono, said that his party could not detail the details regarding the free nutritious eating program, including recipients and distribution.

"About the total number, what kind of process and so on are being thought of internally," he said.

Thomas conveyed that the technical implementation of the free nutritious eating program is still waiting for the 2025 APBN cycle, which is currently rolling between the DPR and the Government.

"I can't explain the technicality at this time, because we have to know the cycles first. After the APBN cycle is complete, we will explain everything that is technical regarding the program," he said.