'Bandh culture' in the state, which has hindered the State's interests. Assam's aim to become self-sufficient in power generation has been affected by the agitations that took place in the state. The State wants to achieve self sufficiency in power production with PSU firm NTPC's ambitious Rs 4,720 crore Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project, but it is getting delayed by two years, the Minister said.    

The NTPC project, which is being set up at Salakati in Kokrajhar district and is envisaged to generate 750 MW power, was scheduled to be commissioned by March 2012. He said that the State would have been self-sufficient in power had the NTPC's Bongaigaon project completed on time.    

Now he expects the NTPC plant will be commissioned in 2014. Assam, presently, faces 200 mw power shortage. It expects that with the Bongaigaon project coming on stream, the state will become a power-surplus one, he added.