Indonesia eyes savings of $3 billion from cut in free meal programme
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The meals, primarily intended for schoolchildren across the country, will be distributed for five days a week instead of six starting on March 31.
PHOTO: AFP
JAKARTA - Indonesia is looking to save up to 40 trillion rupiah (S$3 billion) by cutting back on its free meal programme, an official told AFP on March 29, in the first austerity measure taken in response to price pressures from the Iran war.
The meals, primarily intended for schoolchildren across the country, will be distributed for five days a week instead of six starting on March 31 in a move that is expected to save “around 40 trillion rupiah”, said National Nutrition Agency deputy head Nanik Sudaryati Deyang.
She said the measure was taken as part of the government’s moves to cushion South-east Asia’s largest economy from the fallout of the war in the Middle East, which has sent global oil prices soaring.
In a statement on March 29, the agency, which oversees the programme, announced the policy to adjust the distribution of meals in line with students’ five-day school week.
But recipients in remote areas or areas with high rates of stunting will see meals delivered for six days a week, said agency head Dadan Hindayana.
“The provision of the free nutritious meals on Saturdays for regions with a high risk of stunting is a strategic step to ensure that children receive adequate nutrition every day,” Mr Dadan said.
The nutrition agency will work with local authorities to ensure that the programme reaches its intended target, he added.
Mr Prasetyo Hadi, a spokesperson for President Prabowo Subianto, previously said the country was seeking to set aside 80 trillion rupiah as the government looks to shield its economy from the Middle East fallout, without disclosing further details.
Mr Prabowo previously insisted that the meal programme, originally budgeted for 335 trillion rupiah in 2026, would be untouched, claiming that there were many other cost-saving measures Jakarta could implement as the government weighed options to respond to price pressures.
The government is considering whether to allow workers to work remotely for one day a week in a move to curb fuel consumption.
The free meal programme has drawn criticism following a spate of food poisoning cases since its launch in 2025, with critics calling for its suspension over hygiene concerns.
The initiative has served 61 million people, according to the agency. Children and toddlers, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women, are the main recipients. AFP
