P: About 30 new hydro projects are now under execution with an installed capacity of 5,600 MW. Q: However, with the rapid increase in demand for power, higher priority was given to the pithead super thermal power stations as their gestation period was smaller than that of the hydel schemes. R: Many projects were taken up for execution after independence and at one time (1962-63), the capacity contribution from hydro schemes was equal to thermal schemes. S: The first hydro generating unit in India was commissioned in Darjeeling (W.Bengal) in 1897.