Jakarta, INTI - The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, together with several other ministries and government agencies, is set to expand the pilot implementation of a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)-based social protection system for the Family Hope Program (PKH) and Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT).
The DPI system is supported by two main components: the Digital Population Identity (IKD), managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to improve the accuracy of beneficiary identity verification, and the Government Service Connectivity System (SPLP), overseen by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs to enable faster and more integrated data exchange among government institutions.
Through this digitalization initiative, the government aims to make the distribution of social assistance more transparent and accountable, covering processes from registration and eligibility verification to appeals submission and follow-up actions.
“As a result, the social assistance distribution process is expected to become more organized, transparent, faster, and fairer, as everything will be based on data and integrated systems. The ultimate goal is simple: eligible citizens must not be left behind, while those who no longer meet the criteria should not receive assistance,” said Mira Tayyiba, Director General of Digital Government Technology at the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, during a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
The government previously conducted the initial pilot phase in Banyuwangi Regency, with registration taking place in September 2025 and the objection period held between March and April 2026.
Following the Banyuwangi pilot, the government plans to expand the digital social assistance trial to 42 regencies and cities starting in June 2026, covering approximately 36 million people.
“The success of social assistance digitalization also depends on readiness at the regional level, including the capacity of field officers and active public participation. Therefore, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, together with related ministries and agencies, continues to strengthen coordination with local governments in the expansion areas to ensure optimal preparedness,” Mira added.
Cross-Ministerial Collaboration Strengthens Data Verification and Security
Mira also emphasized that the digitalization of social assistance will operate as an integrated ecosystem. The Ministry of Social Affairs will oversee the program, Bappenas will ensure proper data governance, the Ministry of Home Affairs will strengthen digital population identity systems, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs will facilitate data exchange, and the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN) will safeguard data security.
In addition, sectoral data owners such as the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the National Civil Service Agency (BKN), PLN, BPJS, and the Traffic Corps of the Indonesian National Police will provide supporting data to strengthen the verification process.
“This is what we aim to build. Digitalization is not merely about applications, but about creating a government digital ecosystem that works together to deliver more targeted public services,” she concluded.
Conclusion
The expansion of Indonesia’s digital social assistance system marks a significant step toward building a more transparent, integrated, and data-driven public service ecosystem. By combining digital identity, inter-agency data exchange, and cross-ministerial collaboration, the government aims to ensure social aid distribution becomes more accurate, efficient, and accountable while strengthening public trust in digital governance.
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