Indonesia cuts free meals to save US$2.3 billion as fuel prices soar

Indonesia is looking to save up to 40 trillion rupiah (US$2.3 billion) by cutting back on its free meal programme, an official said on Sunday, in a first austerity measure taken in response to price pressures from the Mideast war.The meals, primarily intended for schoolchildren across the country, will be distributed for five days a week instead of six starting March 31 in a move that is expected to save “around 40 trillion rupiah”, National Nutrition Agency deputy head Nanik Sudaryati Deyang said.She said the measure was taken as part of the government’s moves to cushion Southeast Asia’s largest economy from the fallout of the war in the Middle East, which has sent global oil prices soaring.In a statement on Sunday, the agency, which oversees the programme, announced the policy to adjust the distribution of meals in-line with students’ five day school week.But recipients in remote areas or areas with high rates of stunting will see meals delivered for six days a week, agency head Dadan Hindayana said.“The provision of the free nutritious meals on Saturdays for regions with a high risk of stunting is a strategic step to ensure that children receive adequate nutrition every day,” Dadan said.