Shillong, August 28: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Friday inaugurated the new office building of the Excise Department at Lower Lachaumiere, Shillong, marking the end of more than five decades of the department functioning from temporary structures.
Excise Minister Brening A. Sangma, Chief Secretary Dr Shakil Ahammad, and senior officers and staff of the Excise Department were also present at the inauguration.
Inaugurated the new building of the Excise Department at Lower Lachaumiere, Shillong.
The Excise Department has also undergone significant reforms, with revenue growing from around ₹170–180 Crore eight years ago to over ₹500 Crore today. With further reforms underway, we are… pic.twitter.com/Jsiq5HcyJM
— Conrad K Sangma (@SangmaConrad) August 28, 2026
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister described the inauguration as a day of celebration for both the department and the government.
“It gives me joy and satisfaction to inaugurate this building, which has been a long-standing demand of the department,” Sangma said.
He said the Excise Department has been contributing significantly to the state’s revenue and added that the new building forms part of the government’s broader infrastructure improvement initiative.
Highlighting administrative infrastructure development carried out over the past eight years, Sangma referred to renovations and construction of schools, police stations and outposts, block offices, Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and sub-centres.
On revenue growth and reforms in the Excise Department, the Chief Minister said its revenue collection has increased significantly from around ₹180 crore eight years ago to more than ₹500 crore at present.
“A major decision has been made to combine the excise and VAT, which is expected to further increase revenue,” he said.
Sangma said that in August 2026, the Cabinet approved the folding of VAT on alcoholic liquor into the Excise Duty regime by amending Section 44 and Schedule V of the Meghalaya Value Added Tax Act.
He said the government’s focus is on implementing reforms that are sustainable and do not disrupt the existing ecosystem, while ensuring that all stakeholders are taken care of.
Expressing optimism about the department’s future growth, Sangma said he hoped its revenue would soon cross ₹1,000 crore.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the impact of excise revenue on social welfare programmes, saying funds generated by the department are used for initiatives including the construction of schools and hospitals and implementation of safe motherhood programmes.
He encouraged officers and staff not to underestimate the impact of their work, stressing that the revenue generated by the department contributes towards saving lives and educating children.
Sangma concluded by urging officials to regard the new office building as their “second home” and work with full commitment and dedication towards achieving the department’s goals and targets.
The new Excise Department office building has been developed at a total project cost of ₹14.55 crore.
The building has been designed to bring the various operating arms of the department under a single campus. It will house the laboratory, Enforcement Wing, Integrated Excise Management System and the office of the Commissioner in one building.
The integrated facility is expected to reduce the loss of time and information resulting from the department operating from dispersed premises.
The single-campus arrangement is also expected to improve services for licensees and citizens, who until now had to approach different locations for connected transactions.
