BGN Pursues Target Of 82.9 Million MBG Recipients In 2 Months Remaining

Head of BGN Dadan Hindayana. ANTARA/Lintang Budiyanti Prameswari.

Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana said the target of 82.9 million beneficiaries of the Free Nutritioning Program (MBG) could be pursued by the end of 2025.

Dadan said BGN continues to expand service reach through the addition of a new Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) every day.

"We will try, because as is known, we can produce new SPPGs every day of around 200, and it has the potential to serve 600,000 beneficiaries every day," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, October 29.

He emphasized that the government will maximize the last two months of this year to accelerate the realization of the target.

"We will pursue in the last two months so that 82.9 million can be achieved," he said.

Regarding the president's response, Dadan said that the Head of State would still appreciate the significant achievements even though the target had not been fully met.

"The President will appreciate it, although he will understand if, for example, say, 75 million can be achieved," he said.

The Free Nutrition Food Program is one of the national priority programs designed to improve the nutritional status of the community while strengthening local food ecosystems throughout Indonesia.

To date, 13,514 SPPGs have been spread across 38 provinces, 509 districts, and 7,022 sub-districts, with the potential to serve around 39.5 million beneficiaries.

He estimates the number will increase and reach 40 million beneficiaries by the end of this month.

In his report to the President, Dadan also said that the MBG Program budget absorption had reached Rp35.6 trillion, or about 50.1 percent of the current year's target.