MBG Kitchen Incentive of Rp6 Million per Day Evaluated, BGN Value of Old Scheme is Unfair

Deputy Head of BGN Agustina Arumsari. (Teddy VOI)

JAKARTA - The National Nutrition Agency evaluates the provision of a uniform incentive of Rp. 6 million per day to the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit. The scheme is considered unfair because each kitchen has different capacity, building area, and number of recipients.

Deputy Head of BGN Agustina Arumsari said that the incentive has been calculated for 313 working days. With this scheme, one SPPG can receive IDR 1.878 billion per year.

If the cost of building the kitchen reaches Rp3.5 billion, the investment is expected to return in about two years.

"If he invests Rp. 3.5 billion to establish one SPPG, two years have returned his investment. That is what we will make a more equitable incentive scheme," said Agustina at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Monday (20/7).

According to Agustina, a kitchen with an area of 200 square meters that serves around 1,000 people should not receive the same incentive as a kitchen with a size of 300 to 500 square meters.

"Not even the 200 meters, which only serves 1,000 people, the incentive is the same as the 300, 400, even 500 meters. It is equal to Rp. 6 million, it is not fair," he said.

BGN also examined 27,469 SPPGs that were recorded to be operating. The government requested location data or geotagging to check the physical condition and follow up on the alleged fictitious kitchen.

In addition to the kitchens that have been recorded to be operational, around 13,000 points are still in the process of being built and have obtained approval status.

Agustina said BGN would compile a database of SPPG, beneficiaries, and a financial accountability system. Digitalization will be used to reduce dependence on SPPG head's manual reports.