JAKARTA, thekabarnews.com—The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has identified three administrative and financial issues behind delays in transferring operating funds to some SPPGs participating in the Free Meals (MBG) program.

BGN spokesperson Tysa Novenny said on Monday, Oct. 26, that the agency may delay transfers to a Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) if the kitchen fails to submit daily spending reports.

The BGN may also hold transfers when beneficiary records do not match official data or when a kitchen exhausts its allocation through undisciplined spending.

The clarification followed reports from several SPPGs that could not serve beneficiaries because their operating funds had not appeared in their virtual accounts. However, BGN did not disclose the number of affected kitchens or how long the funding delays had lasted.

“The first reason is that the SPPG did not report its daily expenditure through SIPGN, the National Nutrition Fulfillment Information System, as part of its financial accountability,” Tysa said in an official BGN statement.

Daily reporting allows BGN to monitor how each kitchen spends public funds. It also provides the financial records required before the agency releases additional operating money.

The second issue involves differences between the people served by a kitchen and the beneficiaries listed in the Temporary Beneficiary Determination Letter 2 (SPS-2).

“The second reason is that the SPPG serves MBG beneficiaries who do not match the SPS-2 data,” Tysa said.

BGN uses the database to calculate meal volumes and determine each SPGG’s funding needs. A mismatch could mean that an SPPG serves more people than its approved allocation covers. It could also indicate that beneficiary records require updating.

The agency has emphasized that a discrepancy does not automatically prove financial misconduct. Administrators must first reconcile the kitchen’s records with information from schools and other government databases.

The third cause is poor spending discipline. Tysa said some kitchens may run out of operating funds after spending beyond the amounts previously calculated and approved.

Under the funding mechanism introduced in October, BGN allocates Rp15,000 for each eligible meal recipient. This amount includes Rp10,000 for food, Rp3,000 for operating costs and Rp2,000 as a service-quality incentive, according to a separate BGN announcement.

The funding controls cover a rapidly expanding national program. BGN reported on Oct. 20 that 26,385 operational SPPGs were serving more than 57.49 million people and supporting approximately 1.03 million workers.

By Sept. 16, the agency had spent Rp139.77 trillion, or 63.89 percent of the Rp218.77 trillion available for the MBG program. Its 2026 technical guidelines set a longer-term goal of serving approximately 82.9 million beneficiaries through 35,000 to 40,000 kitchens.

As the scale increases, accurate reporting is a necessity. However, BGN must also address discrepancies quickly to prevent administrative problems from interrupting meals.

Whether tighter oversight improves accountability without slowing services to beneficiaries will depend on regular guidance for kitchen managers. Furthermore, it will depend on a clear correction process.