Government to Launch Digital Social Assistance System in October 2026

The government is implementing a digital selection process for social assistance (bansos) recipients using cross-sector data exchange. Chairman of the Digital Transformation Acceleration Committee, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, stated that the system is supported by artificial intelligence (AI) technology. “For the first time, we are conducting the selection of social assistance recipients transparently and accountably through cross-sector data exchange,” Luhut said during a coordination meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, 30 June 2026. He explained that the system was created to allow citizens to register their applications independently or through agents online. “This way, people can directly register or apply for social assistance independently or via agents without being burdened by document requirements and lengthy processes that have been troubling our citizens,” he clarified. On this occasion, Luhut requested that 43 districts/cities immediately complete the data collection into the newly created system. He noted that only Surabaya has finished the process so far. “I hope that by the end of August everything can be completed so we can help accelerate the national rollout,” he stated. This would allow the government to launch the system nationally in October this year. Luhut requested that around 60 to 70 percent of the population in those 43 regions be registered before the national launch. “We will also ask for a report from the Minister of Home Affairs; once this is done, it means the planned national rollout in October can proceed,” Luhut concluded.