Cross-institution synergy paramount to successful meals program: govt

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Collaborative measures among government institutions are of the essence to actualize a successful Free Nutritious Meals program, planned for implementation next year, State Apparatus and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Rini Widyantini stated.

"The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) cannot work alone and should arrange a business process to drive effective, cross-sector implementation of the national program," Widyantini noted in her ministry's statement received here on Saturday.

The minister made the statement during a meeting with State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, BGN Head Dadan Hindayana, and Head of the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) M. Yusuf Ateh at her office on Friday (December 27).

Widyantini underlined that the formulation of the requisite business process should entail the identification and determination of the role of each institution involved in the program's implementation.

"Each institution is expected to be able to comprehend their respective roles and responsibilities while mobilizing resources to the process in an effective manner," the minister emphasized.

Meanwhile, State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi reiterated the significance of President Prabowo Subianto's flagship program, saying that it was designed as a concrete solution to improving the nutritional intake of citizens, particularly schoolchildren.

"We truly hope that various stakeholders will provide optimum support to the program, which will run starting from January 2025," he remarked while noting that proper implementation of the program is expected to help Indonesia produce excellent human resources.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, on her part, assured that the government had prepared an adequate budget for the meals program.

"The National Nutrition Agency will manage a budget worth Rp71 trillion (nearly USD4.4 billion) for the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals program," the state treasurer remarked.