JAKARTA, June 11 — Indonesia will reorganise the implementation of its Free Nutritious Meals programme after the government estimated a monthly waste of more than Rp1 trillion (RM225.9 million) following an increase in the number of approved meal service kitchens beyond the programme’s original target.
Food Affairs Coordinating Minister Zulkifli Hasan said the number of meal service kitchens, or Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi (SPPG), that prepare and distribute meals under the programme had risen to 27,877 from an initial target of about 21,000, an increase of 6,877 sites.
The excess locations could generate more than Rp1 trillion in additional monthly expenditure, assuming a daily incentive of Rp6 million (RM1,357) for each SPPG kitchen.
“If there is Rp1 trillion in waste per month, then in a year it would amount to Rp12 trillion (RM2.71 billion),” he said today, adding that the government would spend the next month reorganising the programme’s implementation to address the issue and improve oversight.
President Prabowo Subianto has been briefed on the findings and has decided to replace the programme’s management with what he described as a new management team.
Despite the issues, Zulkifli said the programme had expanded its reach, with the number of pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers receiving services increasing from about two million to 9.9 million within a short period.