Surabaya Digital Social Aid Revamp Excludes 25,000 Households, Adds 51,000 New Beneficiaries

Surabaya, Indonesia, launched a digital social protection pilot called Perlinsos Digital that re‑verified its social assistance (bansos) database. The audit removed roughly 25,000 households that failed eligibility checks and added about 51,000 households – estimated 175,000 individuals – that had previously been excluded, bringing the total number of beneficiary families to around 119,000.

The shift underscores longstanding concerns about bansos errors, such as administrative mishandling, data inaccuracies, or unauthorized deductions. Officials advise recipients to review their data, contact the distributing agency, and lodge formal complaints to correct any shortfalls. Muhammad Qodari, head of the Government Communication Agency, stressed that the system aims to eliminate both inclusion and exclusion errors and ensure aid reaches only those who merit it.