By: Staff Writer
July 14, Colombo (LNW): New Commissioner General takes charge with plans to recover missed revenue and boost digitalisation
The Sri Lanka Excise Department has exceeded its revenue collection target for the first half of 2025, recording Rs. 120.5 billion — 102.6% of the projection set by the Ministry of Finance. This milestone comes at a time of transition in leadership, with retired Sri Lanka Navy Commodore M.B.N.A. Premarathne assuming duties as the new Commissioner General on Friday, July 11.
This revenue achievement marks a positive continuation of the department’s rising contribution to state finances in recent years. In 2023, the department collected Rs. 226.7 billion, up from Rs. 178.6 billion in 2022 and Rs. 170.3 billion in 2021 — reflecting consistent growth and improved collection efficiency.
At the official ceremony held to mark his assumption of duties, Premarathne pledged to align the Excise Department’s operations with the government’s overarching national priorities, including poverty alleviation, digitalisation, and the “Clean Sri Lanka” initiative. He emphasised the department’s vital role as a key state revenue generator and acknowledged longstanding gaps in revenue collection.
“There are areas where we have missed out on potential revenue for years. We must collectively act to recover these losses and strengthen our overall performance,” he said, underlining the need for renewed collaboration and efficiency across all divisions.
Premarathne also stressed the importance of modernising the department through digital tools and automation to enhance transparency and reduce inefficiencies. The Excise Department has already taken initial steps in this direction, aligning with the government’s broader public sector digital transformation agenda.
In addition to focusing on revenue optimisation, the new Commissioner General committed to fostering a disciplined, rule-abiding, and transparent institutional culture. “We must become a department that our staff can take pride in and that earns the respect of the public,” he noted.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved Premarathne’s appointment earlier this week, following the scheduled retirement of U.L. Udaya Kumara Perera, a Special Grade Officer of the Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Service, who had been serving as the Commissioner General.
As the Excise Department continues to face challenges such as illicit alcohol trade, enforcement issues, and loopholes in taxation, the new leadership brings both a mandate and an opportunity to drive institutional reform, broaden the revenue base, and recover missed dues — all while enhancing public trust.
