Indonesia integrates government data to improve social aid targeting
The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs said the platform connects data from multiple government institutions, allowing authorities to verify beneficiary eligibility using more than a single data source.
“The objective is simple, to ensure assistance reaches those who are truly entitled to receive it. As data become more integrated, the risk of mistargeting can continue to decline,” Director of Regional Digital Government Technology Acceleration Aris Kurniawan said in a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He said the system automatically verifies population records, employment status, asset ownership, and electricity consumption to produce more accurate beneficiary data.
The Digital Social Protection Portal pilot was reviewed on Tuesday by the Government Communication Office and the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs during a visit to Tambaksari Sub-district in Surabaya.
The ministry said it supports the platform through the National Data Center and the Government Service Integration System, which enable secure, real-time data exchange among ministries and government agencies.
According to Aris, integrated data synchronization speeds up beneficiary verification, reduces duplicate records, and helps identify people whose economic conditions have changed, making social assistance more accurately targeted.
The government also allows the public to correct inaccurate information through an objection mechanism if discrepancies are found in their personal data.
All data exchanges require public consent under Indonesia’s Personal Data Protection Law and are secured through encryption using the National Cyber and Encryption Agency’s Cryptography as a Service technology.
The Digital Social Protection Portal has been piloted in 43 districts and cities, with Surabaya recording the highest data collection rate at 99.82 percent.
Head of the Government Communication Office Muhammad Qodari praised the Surabaya city administration and local residents for supporting the pilot program.
“The government is building not only a digital system, but also public trust. When data become more accurate, assistance can be better targeted, public services become faster, and people receive their rights more fairly,” Qodari said.
The government expects the platform’s interoperable data system to strengthen not only social assistance distribution but also serve as the foundation for broader digital public services that are more effective, transparent, and responsive to public needs.
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Translator: Farhan Arda Nugraha, Martha Herlinawati Simanjunta