The concept of groundwater balance was introduced by the World Bank for clearance of minor irrigation schemes under ARDC phase-III programme. The groundwater balance refers to the net groundwater resource available for development in a given basin/area which is estimated by subtracting the net groundwater draft from the new recoverable recharge. Based on the balance, the stage of development is assessed and the areas are categorized into white, gray and dark zones. Thus, the groundwater balance and the stage of development are the two important factors governing the development of groundwater in a given area.