Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Friday inaugurated the new office building of the state’s Excise Department at Lower Lachaumiere, Shillong, marking a major infrastructure upgrade for a department that had operated from temporary premises for more than five decades.
The new facility, built at a cost of ₹14.55 crore, brings several key functions of the Excise Department together at a single location. The building houses the department’s laboratory, Enforcement Wing, Integrated Excise Management System (IEMS) and the office of the Commissioner of Excise.
Speaking at the inauguration, Sangma highlighted the significant growth in the department’s revenue collection over the past eight years. He said annual excise revenue had increased from around ₹170–180 crore to more than ₹500 crore.
The Chief Minister attributed the increase to a series of reforms undertaken in the department and said further changes could help Meghalaya’s excise revenue cross the ₹1,000-crore mark in the coming years.
Reforms aimed at strengthening revenue collection
Among the recent policy changes is the decision to bring VAT on alcoholic liquor within the Excise Duty framework. The Meghalaya Cabinet approved the move in August 2026 through amendments to the Meghalaya Value Added Tax Act.
The government has said the reform is intended to strengthen the state’s revenue system while ensuring that changes are implemented in a sustainable manner without unnecessarily disrupting the existing ecosystem.
The department has also been modernising its operations through the Integrated Excise Management System, which the Meghalaya government says is aimed at improving transparency and accountability, preventing illegal diversion and pilferage, reducing revenue leakages and strengthening enforcement.
Revenue to support public services
Sangma said the importance of excise revenue goes beyond the figures collected by the government. According to the Chief Minister, the funds contribute to financing public services and welfare programmes, including schools, hospitals and safe motherhood initiatives.
He urged officers and employees of the department to recognise the wider impact of their work and carry out their responsibilities with greater efficiency and commitment.
The new building is expected to improve coordination among different wings of the department by bringing them together on a single campus. It is also expected to make it easier for licensees and citizens to access related services without having to visit different offices.
Officials attend inauguration
Excise Minister Brening A. Sangma and Chief Secretary Dr. Shakil Ahammad, along with senior officials and employees of the department, were present at the inauguration programme.
The Meghalaya government expects the combination of administrative infrastructure improvements, digital systems and policy reforms to further strengthen the Excise Department’s efficiency and revenue performance in the years ahead.
