Jakarta. The government announced Thursday that it had already spent Rp 710.5 billion or approximately $43 million to roll out free meals to millions of Indonesian students as of March 12.

The figures encompass the public spending for President Prabowo Subianto's flagship program within less than three months since the food rollout began in early January. Hundreds of kitchens across the country are preparing nutrient-rich meals for students every school day at the government's expense. According to Deputy Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara, the government had used Rp 710.5 billion to feed over 2 million individuals, including kindergarteners and high school teens. Some new mothers had received the nutrient-rich meal packages to improve their baby's growth.

"We have earmarked Rp 71 trillion for the meal rollout that will reach 17.9 million people, including 15.5 million school-age children. The [funded meals] will also make their way to 2.4 million expectant and new mothers, as well as toddlers," Suahasil told a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday.

To date, the government has established 726 public kitchens to cook the hot meals. Indonesia will see more of these public kitchens in the future as the number of recipients grow. Suahasil said that the government would raise the budget to Rp 171 trillion as it would try to extend its reach to 82.9 million individuals. At present, elementary school students make up the largest share of the beneficiaries with 912,023 kids already getting their regular meals.

The program was a centerpiece of Prabowo's election campaign. He even introduced it not only as a solution to the country's stunting problem, but also as a potential economic driver. Prabowo aims to record an 8 percent annual economic growth within his presidential term or by 2029, topping the country's natural expansion rate of 5 percent. Prabowo's senior economic advisor Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan even claimed that the meal rollout could slash poverty rate by up to 2.6 percent through the jobs that the nationwide meal rollout might create.

The government-funded meal typically consists of a protein (usually chicken), the staple food rice, vegetable dish, and a fruit. Bananas and watermelons are a common option. Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, is currently observing the fasting month of Ramadan. The government has switched the menu to meals that can last longer for the kids to break their fast with in the evening. Kids usually get a small pack of biscuits, dates, fruit, and milk during Ramadan. Some kids even receive instant cereal drink instead of milk.

The program caught public attention after Prabowo not long ago ordered his government to cut non-essential spending by up to Rp 307 trillion for the current fiscal year. A portion of the saved money goes to funding the nutritious meal program. Experts have called on the government to consider distributing the meals to kids from low-income households and remote areas, citing budget constraints as a reason.

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