Purbaya ensures that the Rp60 trillion disaster budget is safe, the MBG program continues to run

Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa confirmed that the government had prepared adequate disaster handling budgets, including for post-disaster recovery in several areas of Sumatra, without having to divert funds from the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Program.

This certainty reflects the government's fiscal resilience in responding to disasters while maintaining the sustainability of national priority programs.

Purbaya said that the available budget allocation for disaster handling reached Rp. 60 trillion.

Meanwhile, the actual needs for post-flood recovery in Aceh, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra are currently estimated at around Rp51 trillion, so it is still within the limits of the budget that has been prepared.

"The money is enough. The government has provided Rp. 60 trillion for disaster management," said Purbaya as reported by ANTARA, Sunday, December 28.

With the adequacy of the budget, the Ministry of Finance ensures that there is no reallocation policy that has the potential to disrupt the financing of the MBG Program.

According to Purbaya, the financing for disaster handling has been accommodated in its own budget position so as not to squeeze other social program budgets.

This decision also shows the government's efforts to maintain the stability of the management of the State Budget (APBN), amid the increasing need for spending due to natural disasters.

The government considers the continuity of the MBG program important to support the improvement of human resources quality and maintain people's purchasing power.

Previously, a number of members of the Indonesian House of Representatives proposed the transfer of part of the MBG budget to accelerate post-disaster recovery from floods and landslides in Sumatra.

However, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) emphasized that the change in budget allocation was the authority of the President and the Ministry of Finance.

BGN currently continues to run the MBG program according to the established scheme, including during the school holidays by distributing food packages directly to students' homes.

This step was taken to ensure that the target for absorbing the budget and the realization of the program continues to run according to plan, while maintaining the effectiveness of state spending.