Mataram appointed pilot project for accelerating digital transformation of social aid

Deputy for Government Digital Transformation at the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform, Cahyono Tri Birowo, announced that Mataram City has been officially appointed as one of 42 districts/cities in Indonesia to serve as a pilot project for accelerating the digital transformation of social assistance (bansos). “This programme will become a new foundation in the governance of social protection based on data and technology,” he said following a coordination meeting and audience regarding the expansion of digitalisation for social assistance in Region VI in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara Province, on Thursday. Cahyono stated that the appointment was based on a relatively mature digital ecosystem, ranging from infrastructure and electronic-based government services to the continuously developing level of public digital literacy. This readiness is what has made Mataram trusted as a national laboratory to test the implementation of a more modern, integrated, and accountable social assistance distribution system. The digital transformation programme for social assistance integrates three main pillars: the social protection application (Perlinsos), digital population identity (IKD), and the Agency-Level Financial Application System (SAKTI) owned by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia. The integration of these three systems is expected to deliver a distribution process that is more targeted, faster, and transparent, while minimising the potential for data errors and duplication of beneficiaries. “Therefore, Mataram City was chosen because it demonstrated an adequate level of readiness to become a model region,” said Cahyono. According to him, the successful implementation in Mataram will serve as an important reference for developing similar systems in other regions. The central government not only wants to build a digital system but also to ensure that technology can answer fundamental problems in social assistance distribution, namely data accuracy, transparency, and ease of access for the public. At the same location, Mataram Mayor H Mohan Roliskana assessed that the city’s appointment as a trial location for digital social assistance is also recognition of the region’s consistency in promoting digital transformation across various public service sectors. “We welcome and are ready to fully support the implementation of this programme. Digital transformation in social assistance distribution is an important step to ensure that government aid truly reaches the entitled public quickly, accurately, and transparently,” said the mayor. He stated that the digitalisation of social assistance is not merely a change in the administrative system, but part of an effort to build a more modern and responsive government governance that meets public needs. “Through data integration and the utilisation of digital technology, we hope the quality of public services will continue to improve. The public gains convenience, while the government has stronger instruments to ensure accountability and the effectiveness of social assistance programmes,” he continued. The central government is targeting the initial implementation of this programme to begin in the first week of July 2026. Its development progress is planned to receive direct attention from the President of the Republic of Indonesia as part of the national digitalisation acceleration agenda. For Mataram City, this appointment not only brings new responsibilities but also momentum to strengthen its position as a region adaptive to change and innovation. If the programme succeeds, Mataram will not just be a trial location but a real example of how regional digital readiness can be the key to creating more effective, inclusive, and community-oriented public services. “From Mataram City, a new model for national social assistance distribution is being built—a step towards a more modern, integrated, and trustworthy social protection governance,” said Mohan.