Developed by SKDRDP, "Pragathi Bandhus" are unique models of male-member Self-help Groups that center around the cultivation of waste lands through labor sharing. Such groups organize and empower small and marginal farmers and laborers through the transference of governance to the village level. By promoting compulsory labor sharing for performing individual and community tasks, each village member works for the other members for one day in a week. This has helped thousands of small farmers to complete their important farm works.

A five year farm plan prepared by the members in consultation with the group and the Sevaniratha provides the much-needed help to families. Through such collective action, the community can implement watershed construction and development programs. Pragathi Bandhu groups also provide micro-credit assistance primarily for land development, creation of infrastructure and personal emergency needs. They organize themselves into federations and the sub-committees of the federations and study the credit requirement of the groups to make recommendations for credit loans.

The Pragathi Bandhu model has now been approved by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development and has achieved the significant milestone of being adopted for the implementation of Joint Liability Group (JLG). JLGs are 5 to 10 member groups formed in each project village that act as mutual guarantee groups for bank/MFI credit.