Jakarta (ANTARA) - The House of Representatives (DPR), during the 7th plenary session of the 2024–2025 period, agreed to make the National Nutrition Agency its working partner in efforts to advance the national nutrition agenda.

"Based on the consultation meeting decision between the DPR leaders and each faction chairmen on September 12, 2024, it was decided that the National Nutrition Agency will be a working partner of the House's Commission IX," House Deputy Speaker Lodewijk F. Paulus informed here on Thursday.

Earlier, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) issued Presidential Regulation Number 83 of 2024 concerning the National Nutrition Agency, which aimed to optimize national nutrition fulfillment to support human rights, as guaranteed by the 1945 Constitution.

One of the considerations for establishing the National Nutrition Agency was to ensure safe and nutritious food consumption by the public.

The agency, which is under the authority of the President, has been tasked with fulfilling the people's nutritional needs.

The agency is targeting students receiving early childhood, primary, and secondary education at all types of educational institutions, such as those offering general education, vocational education, religious education, and special needs education, as well as Islamic boarding schools.

In addition, it is targeting children aged under five, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.

On August 19, 2024, President Jokowi inaugurated Dadan Hindayana as head of the National Nutrition Agency.

At the time, Hindayana said that the agency has been formed to implement the free nutritious meals program, which is a priority program of President-elect Prabowo Subianto.

"The agency aims to implement the President-elect's priority program. Related to the budget cycle and in order to start working in January 2025, the budget must be included in the state financial note," he added.

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Translator: Lintang P, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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