Wait For The Budget, Free Nutrition Eating Program Is Projected To Start January 2025

Illustration of free nutritious food (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of the Gerindra Party, Rahayu Saraswati, explained the reason why the free nutritious dining program will only start in January 2025. According to the politician who is familiarly called Sara, the budget for the program is only available in the 2025 State Budget.

Sara said that the 2025 State Budget will experience adjustments in order to accommodate Prabowo-Gibran's priority programs, including free nutritious meals and the needs of cabinet organizations related to the formation of new ministries or institutions.

"So it must be seen from the APBN submitted by the government for 2025. This means that it must also be changed and with a new cabinet, there must be adaptations made," said Sara at the DPR building, Senayan, Monday, October 28.

Sara said, until the end of 2024, the government will focus on socializing and preparing programs in various regions.

"We still have a lot of trials and socialization, preparations because it requires approximately 48,000 kitchens throughout Indonesia. Maybe it should be seen again from the budget, maybe not all of them in the first year," said Sara.

Sara said that the recipients of this program are estimated to reach 82 million children in Indonesia.

Previously, President Prabowo Subianto had also given strict instructions to members of the Red and White Cabinet to support free nutritious eating programs. The program is a strategic policy targeting school children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.