Airlangga: Free Lunch Budget Pegged At IDR 15 Thousand/Children

ILLUSTRATION BETWEEN

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the budget for free lunch programs was around Rp. 15 thousand per child, beyond the budget for free milk programs.

"Each child is around Rp. 15,000," said Coordinating Minister Airlangga in Jakarta as reported by ANTARA, Monday, February 26.

Coordinating Minister Airlangga said the plan was that the amount of the budget would be evenly applied in all parts of Indonesia. However, he is not yet willing to reveal specifically which areas will get free lunch and milk programs for children.

The details of the free lunch and milk program will be discussed in the discussion of Macroeconomic Policy and the 2025 Fiscal Policy Principles (KEM-PPKF) at today's cabinet meeting.

The free lunch and milk program is a proposal from the presidential and vice presidential candidate pair number 2, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

In its vision and mission document, the candidate pair explains that the free lunch program aims to overcome stunting problems and will target pre-school students, elementary schools (SD), junior high schools (SMP), high schools (SMA), and pesantren.

Nutrition assistance will also be given to pregnant women and toddlers throughout Indonesia to improve health and help the family's economy.

The program targets more than 80 million beneficiaries with 100 percent coverage by 2029.

To note, KEM-PPKF is an official state document that is a reference for the preparation of a financial note and the 2025 State Revenue and Expenditure Budget Draft (APBN).

The preparation of the 2025 State Budget is the last during the administration of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), while the implementation of the 2025 State Budget will be carried out by the next government.

Previously, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati asked that the design of the state budget this time be further sharpened, so that the state budget was able to answer various structural and fundamental issues.

"The state budget will continue to be optimized as a mainstay instrument to answer various challenges for Indonesia's development," said Sri Mulyani, Tuesday (13/2).