Excise Dept gets permanent office building after 50 years
Shillong, Aug 28: The state’s excise revenue has jumped from Rs 180 crore eight years ago to over Rs 500 crore, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said while inaugurating the new office building of Excise department here on Friday.
Crediting the significant rise in excise revenue to reforms undertaken by the government, he expressed the hope that the department would breach Rs 1,000 crore mark in revenue collection.
The government decision to combine the excise and VAT is expected to further increase the revenue, he said.
In August 2026, the state cabinet approved folding of VAT on alcoholic liquor into Excise Duty regime by amending Section 44 and Schedule V of the Meghalaya Value Added Tax Act.
He said the focus is on implementing reforms that are sustainable and do not disrupt the existing ecosystem ensuring that all stakeholders are taken care of.
Excise Minister Brening A Sangma and Chief Secretary Dr Shakil Ahammad were among others present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister expressed his happiness over Excise department getting a permanent office building after operating from temporary offices in the past over 50 years.
The Rs 14.55-crore office at Lower Lachaumiere has been designed to bring the operating arms of the department into a single campus.
It is part of a broader infrastructure improvement initiative taken up by the government, he said.
He highlighted development works done the past eight years, including school renovations, police stations and outpost, block offices, PHCs, CHCs and sub centres.
Appreciating the department for contributing significantly to the revenue of the state, he also elaborated the impact of the excise revenue on social programs.
The excise revenue is used to fund various social welfare programmes including construction of schools, hospitals and safe motherhood programmes.
He encouraged the officers and staff of the department not to undermine the impact of their work emphasising that the revenue generated by the department helps save lives and educate children.
The new building will house the laboratory, the Enforcement Wing, the Integrated Excise Management System and the office of the Commissioner within one building removing the loss of time and information that occurs when a regulatory office operates from dispersed premises.
