Indonesia cuts free meal programme budget by more than $2 billion

Indonesia has further cut the budget for President Prabowo Subianto's flagship free meal programme by more than $2 billion, officials said, in a move expected to reduce access to the scheme.

National Nutrition Agency secretary Lili Khamiliyah told a news conference on Tuesday that the programme's budget for this year had been cut from 268 trillion rupiah, or $14.9 billion, to 229 trillion rupiah. Indonesia had originally allocated 335 trillion rupiah for the programme this year, before earlier budget-saving measures reduced it.

Agency spokeswoman Agustina Arumsari said the new figure was provisional and that further cuts could come as the agency reviewed implementation. She said the president had given the agency a month to improve management of the programme. She also said there would be a reduction in beneficiaries, and that Prabowo no longer had a specific target number but wanted to improve quality, ensure the programme reached the right people and prevent further poisonings.

Agustina said the programme currently serves about 62.7 million recipients. She did not say how many people would be affected by the latest cut.

The programme is one of Prabowo's signature policies. The source said its implementation has been marred by mass poisonings and corruption. The latest announcement follows earlier reductions: the agency said last month that the free meal scheme was suspended during school holidays, a move expected to save more than three trillion rupiah, and in March it cut meal distribution from six days a week to five, aiming to save up to 40 trillion rupiah as Indonesia sought to cushion the economic impact from the Middle East war.

Agency head Nanik Sudaryati Deyang announced on Facebook on Wednesday that she was stepping down, citing health reasons. Prabowo previously fired Nanik's predecessor, Dadan Hindayana, and two deputies, who the source said have since been accused of "crimes in management" of the agency.

The free meal scheme originally aimed to reach at least 82.9 million children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, nearly one-third of Indonesia's population. The source said more than 20 percent of children in Indonesia are affected by stunting caused by severe malnutrition.