Jakarta – The government has confirmed that digital transformation in the distribution of social assistance (bansos) will soon be implemented nationally. This policy was adopted after a trial of social assistance digitization in Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, showed positive results and was deemed capable of addressing issues of targeting accuracy, transparency, and efficiency in aid distribution.
To date, classic problems in social assistance distribution have included mistargeting, duplicate data, and lengthy bureaucratic processes. Some eligible residents do not receive assistance, while others do. With digitalization, the government is determined to end such practices.
During a visit to Banyuwangi, the Chairman of the National Economic Council, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, emphasized the urgency of social assistance digitization. He revealed that there are still cases where one recipient receives up to three assistance programs simultaneously, while some poor people are left completely untouched.
“This is clearly unfair, because some receive more than one form of assistance, while others who truly need it receive nothing. Digitalization is the solution to make the system more orderly, transparent, and targeted,” said Luhut while reviewing the system trial in Banyuwangi.
The social assistance digitalization trial was conducted through the “Perlinsos” application, which can be accessed directly by the public. To date, more than 257,000 residents have registered for the application, with the support of around 2,000 field facilitators to assist those unfamiliar with technology. Of the approximately 680,000 heads of families in Banyuwangi, more than 148,000 have been registered as aid recipients in the initial phase.
Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf stated that the government is providing flexible options for people who have difficulty accessing the application. They can still register through village officials, local facilitators, or field officers using a digital identification system in the form of facial photographs.
“We ensure that the community will not be left behind. Those without smartphones can still be registered by village facilitators. This technology is here to make things easier, not more difficult,” Saifullah said.
Banyuwangi Regent Ipuk Fiestiandani expressed his region’s readiness to become a pilot project for social assistance digitalization. He hoped that, after evaluation, the system could be replicated throughout Indonesia.
“Banyuwangi is ready to fully support the success of this program, because the benefits are truly felt by the community,” he said.
The government plans to expand the social assistance digitalization program nationwide through a Presidential Instruction (Inpres) that will soon be issued. This Presidential Instruction will serve as the legal basis for binding commitments across ministries, institutions, and regional governments to move in a unified direction.
The instruction will include an implementation roadmap until 2029, the division of tasks between agencies, and replication stages across various regions. The National Socioeconomic Single Data (DTSEN), managed by the Statistics Indonesia (BPS), will serve as the primary basis for ensuring beneficiary integration.
The Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB) has also launched the Welfare Card and Business Card as part of the digital social assistance ecosystem. Both cards are designed to support assistance services and strengthen small businesses in the regions.
PANRB Minister Abdullah Azwar Anas stated that digitalization is not just about technology, but also about building digital trust.
“We need to ensure personal data protection, cybersecurity, and information transparency so that the public is confident this system is truly fair and secure,” he said.
The government aims to gradually expand the social assistance digitalization to other regions starting next year, following a comprehensive evaluation in Banyuwangi. With a shared commitment across ministries, institutions, and local governments, the digitalization of social assistance is believed to be a significant milestone in delivering more modern, equitable, and inclusive public services.
