Desa and Regional Development Minister Calls for Serious Update of National Socio-Economic Data for Targeted Assistance

The Minister of Desa and Regional Development (Mendes PDT), Yandri Susanto, has called for the National Socio-Economic Data Register (DTSEN) to be updated seriously by all parties. The single data register serves as a foundation for the central government in planning development and distributing assistance.

“This is the key for us to target our assistance properly — to target correctly in village development, in empowerment and so forth. Because this data is very dynamic; people pass away, others are born. Some become poor whilst others are no longer poor,” Yandri said whilst addressing a DTSEN socialisation event at Pondok Pesantren Bai Mahdi Sholeh Ma’mun, Serang Regency, Banten, on Thursday, 12 March 2025.

Yandri explained that the Ministry of Desa PDT, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs, is working to accelerate the tackling of extreme poverty and complete validation of assistance recipient data whilst effectively empowering rural communities. According to him, synergy is a concrete and essential step to ensure social assistance reaches its intended targets.

“Alhamdulillah, we from the Ministry of Desa are collaborating with the Ministry of Social Affairs today on the President’s priority programmes. Why collaboration? Because it is impossible for us to do this alone. Doing it separately is difficult, including data matters,” said the Minister, who hails from South Bengkulu.

Yandri explained that through Presidential Instruction No. 4 of 2025, DTSEN has been mandated to serve as the single data reference for all ministries, agencies and regional governments, ensuring there is no longer differing data between institutions.

Inaccurate data can result in those entitled to assistance not receiving it, whilst the capable do receive it. DTSEN therefore serves as a solution to ensure assistance reaches the correct target, including residents in remote villages.

“Alhamdulillah, President Prabowo issued Presidential Instruction No. 4 of 2025 on the National Socio-Economic Data Register, which, God willing, can be verified in terms of accuracy,” he concluded.

Attending the event were Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf, Serang Regent Ratu Rachmatu Zakiyah, and all senior officials from the Ministry of Desa PDT and Ministry of Social Affairs, as well as local government agencies.