Jakarta, Feb. 5 -- Indonesian Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf announced plans to expand the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program this year to cover up to 400,000 elderly citizens and about 36,000 persons with disabilities.

He explained that the Ministry of Social Affairs had already rolled out a meal provision initiative for the elderly; the current plan is essentially aimed at expanding coverage from 136,000 beneficiaries in a more coordinated manner.

"Basically, the next step is to expand and integrate our social protection services with the MBG program being carried out by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN)," Yusuf remarked in Jakarta on Thursday.

The minister added that his office is still collecting data on prospective MBG...