By: Bima Antara Raksa)*
The government continues to strive to ensure that social assistance (bansos) is distributed effectively and effectively. One concrete step taken is the validation of the National Single Social and Economic Data (DTSEN). This validation serves as a crucial foundation for filtering social assistance recipient data to ensure it is more accurate, transparent, and reflects field conditions. The Ministry of Social Affairs, along with local governments, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), and various related institutions, has conducted door-to-door surveys to match existing data with their socioeconomic realities.
The DTSEN is the result of an integration of three main databases: the Integrated Social Welfare Data (DTKS), the Socioeconomic Registration (Regsosek), and the P3KE. The data has been re-verified by the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) to ensure the legitimacy and eligibility of beneficiaries.
The Head of BPS, Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, explained that data verification is ongoing to ensure more accurate distribution. She explained that the DTSEN was compiled using a region-based approach, particularly in villages with high levels of extreme poverty. This data includes names, addresses, and family socioeconomic conditions, collected in detail and in layers. The validation process was carried out using a participatory approach, involving neighborhood heads (RT), community heads (RW), village officials, and local community leaders. This step was taken to prevent residents who were actually ineligible but were registered as recipients, or conversely, poor residents who were missed from the list due to administrative errors or limited access to information.
DTSEN validation not only concerns targeting accuracy but also plays a crucial role in preventing potential data irregularities and manipulation, which frequently occur in social assistance programs. The government ensures that the data used as the basis for policy has undergone multi-level field verification and is accountable. Digital technology is also utilized to expedite the updating process and ensure data integration between institutions. Each citizen listed in the DTSEN is assigned a unique identifier to prevent duplication and facilitate tracking of social assistance distribution.
Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf (Gus Ipul) explained that the Ministry is collaborating with the Statistics Indonesia (BPS) and Social Services Offices in all provinces to expedite data validation. A clarification and complaint mechanism is also provided for those who believe they are entitled but have not been registered, or who wish to report fictitious recipients. This process strengthens the principles of justice and accountability. One innovation implemented is the use of an Android-based application that allows social workers to upload survey data directly to the central system, including documentation of home conditions and interviews with residents.
The Ministry of Social Affairs also emphasized that the DTSEN is the primary basis for distributing social assistance programs such as the Family Hope Program (PKH), Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT), and Direct Cash Assistance (BLT) to alleviate extreme poverty. This approach is expected to make the state budget allocated for social protection more efficient and have a direct impact on those most in need. Furthermore, this validation will also be used in long-term policy planning, such as economic empowerment of low-income families and labor-intensive programs.
Maman Imanul Haq, a member of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives (DPR) from the National Awakening Party (PKB), expressed his appreciation for the government’s swift action, particularly the Ministry of Social Affairs’, in improving the quality of aid recipient data through the validation of the National Disaster Mitigation System (DTSEN). This effort is considered crucial to ensuring that social assistance is distributed more precisely, efficiently, and in accordance with the real conditions of the community on the ground. With a more valid and up-to-date database, social protection policies are expected to reach poor families equitably and reduce the potential for budget leakage.
However, challenges remain in the field, ranging from difficult geographic access, limited data collection personnel, and low digital literacy in some regions. The central government recognizes this and continues to optimize support, including training for field officers, providing digital devices, and tiered supervision. Furthermore, regular evaluations are conducted to ensure data quality continues to improve and adapt to changing socioeconomic dynamics.
The DTSEN validation effort affirms the government’s commitment to providing social justice for all Indonesians. An accurate, participatory, and adaptive data-driven approach is a crucial foundation for creating social assistance policies that are not only well-targeted but also have a tangible impact on poverty alleviation. Collaboration between the central and regional governments, communities, and technology is key to the program’s success in achieving more equitable and sustainable prosperity. This step also strengthens the governance of social assistance, ensuring transparency and broad public oversight. Going forward, the DTSEN can also serve as a cross-sectoral reference in formulating development policies that favor vulnerable and extremely poor groups.
)* Postgraduate Student of Darma Persada University Jakarta
