JAKARTA, The Kabar News—The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has confirmed that food-delivery vehicles do not qualify for funding under the daily operating-cost ceiling of Rp3,000 per beneficiary in the Free Meals (MBG) program.

Under the restored arrangement, each Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) must provide the vehicles needed to deliver meals. BGN treats them as essential facilities that kitchens must prepare before starting operations, alongside the kitchen building, cooking equipment and eating utensils.

BGN spokesperson Tysa Novenny said the agency was returning to the program’s original financing structure rather than introducing an entirely new requirement.

“We are restoring this policy to the arrangement used when the MBG program was first launched,” Tysa said in Jakarta on Saturday, Nov. 7.

BGN’s official statement indicates that Deputy for Food Provision and Distribution Decisions No. 2/2024 and No. 1/2025 did not classify delivery vehicles as operating expenses. However, BGN said that Head of Agency Decision No. 63/2025 later allowed vehicle-rental costs to be included in the operating-cost component.

Following another review, BGN decided that partners should provide delivery vehicles from the start of operations. This change forms part of a broader effort to cap SPPG operating expenditure. Furthermore, it helps prevent kitchens from submitting costs above the available state budget.

The Rp3,000 ceiling covers daily kitchen operations based on the actual number of beneficiaries served. Separately, BGN has set food-provision budgets at Rp13,000 for smaller portions and Rp15,000 for larger portions.

SPPG partners also receive a facility incentive of Rp2,000 for each beneficiary they serve. This replaces the previous flat payment of Rp6 million per operating day.

BGN said the revised structure would make spending easier to measure and keep funding within the approved budget. However, its Nov. 7 statement did not detail transitional assistance for kitchens that currently rent vehicles.

The rule carries nationwide implications because BGN reported well over 58 million verified beneficiaries. There are also 26,723 verified SPPGs in its latest 100-day performance review. Delivery reliability is particularly important because prepared meals must reach schools and other recipients within strict food-safety time limits.

Some SPPG partners have asked BGN to consider regional operating differences. Representatives serving remote, frontier and outermost areas argue that kitchens in those locations face longer routes and higher transport costs. They have requested a special financing approach rather than a uniform nationwide calculation.

Therefore, BGN must ensure that the costs of moving vehicles to program partners do not interfere with deliveries or affect the quality of the meals. This is especially crucial in remote areas. Transparent implementation guidelines and regular audits will determine whether policy controls expenditure while providing reliable services to beneficiaries.