SHILLONG, Sep 12: Ignoring the growing protest from different quarters, the state government has made its intent clear by issuing temporary licences to three applicants to set up casinos in the state to boost nice tourism. Replying to a call attention motion moved by Trinamool Congress MLA George B Lyngdoh, Taxation Minister James PK Sangma confirmed the same and said that the government had to find an unprecedented atypical solution to attract high-value tourists. Some states of the Northeast region are offering stiff competition to Meghalaya in the tourism sector because they have similar topography and some of them have better attractions in terms of historical, archaeological and architectural marvels, Sangma added.