Antara, Jakarta – Under the administration of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, the government is targeting 8 percent economic growth through job creation and various strategic programs, ranging from free nutritious meals (MBG) to public housing construction.

Quoting the Indonesian Government Communications Agency in Jakarta on Sunday, the MBG program is considered to have a significant impact on job creation, citing Antara. The program aims to build around 30 thousand kitchens, each of which will employ 50 people. Thus, the program could potentially absorb around 1.5 million workers.

"That's already 1.5 million," said Prabowo. Additionally, each kitchen will involve a food vendor supply chain, expecting to employ an additional 1.5 million people.

In addition to the MBG program, the government has launched several initiatives to create jobs, including the Red and White Village Cooperative, the Red and White Fishermen's Village, and the construction of one million homes.

The Red and White Village Cooperative is a key driver of the village economy, aiming to establish 80,000 cooperatives, each with an estimated 18 workers. The program has the potential to generate approximately 1.4 million new jobs.

The Red and White Fishermen's Village, located in the maritime sector, aims to increase the productivity and welfare of fishermen. The organization plans to develop up to 1,100 fishing villages by 2026.

"We're running a pilot project in Biak, and fishermen's incomes have increased by an average of 60 to 80 percent," Prabowo said.

Meanwhile, the one-million-housing-development program is said to be one of the biggest job creators. It is estimated that each housing unit requires five workers. Therefore, the total could employ up to five million people, not including the ripple effect from supporting sectors such as building materials and utilities.

Prabowo expressed optimism that the program would drive national economic growth beyond the set target. "I'm sure when this gets going, it will be more than 8 percent," he said.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2094018/prabowo-pushes-8-economic-growth-with-free-meals-housing-program