Recipients of New Electricity Connection Assistance Increase, DPR Demands Targeted Distribution
Ratna Juwita Sari, a member of Commission XII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), has urged the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) to mitigate issues regarding data and decile classification for recipients of the New Electricity Connection Assistance (BPBL). This move is considered crucial following the government’s plan to increase the target of BPBL beneficiaries to 400,000 households by 2027.
“Regarding the BPBL programme, I believe there must be mitigation from the Ministry of ESDM because the target is being increased to 400,000 recipients in 2027. We hope that the decile issue does not become an obstacle for the communities in need,” Ratna stated in a briefing on Thursday (17/9).
Ratna requested that the Ministry of ESDM mature the data integration system from the outset before the expansion of the target scale is officially implemented. According to her, technical evaluations should not be conducted abruptly mid-programme, as this risks hindering the rights of underprivileged citizens to immediately enjoy electricity access.
“If the decile system is to be used as the basis for determining aid recipients, its implementation should be thoroughly prepared from the beginning. We must ensure that technical data collection issues do not emerge in the middle of programme implementation,” she emphasised.
The PKB legislator reminded that data accuracy is not merely about fulfilling administrative procedures on paper. Behind the complexity of decile data verification lies the real need of the poor for access to basic energy guaranteed by the state.
“The issue of data accuracy is not just an administrative matter. We must not allow communities who are supposed to receive aid to be hindered simply because decile classification remains unclear,” said Ratna.
She encouraged the verification process and factual surveys of potential BPBL recipients in the field to be conducted professionally, transparently, and objectively. Survey officers should be given the space to assess the real conditions of potential recipients in settlements without bureaucratic intervention.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, ensured that the government continues to pay attention to data aspects in determining electricity aid recipients. However, he noted that accelerating service to the community is also a priority so that the basic need for electricity access is not delayed.