Chapter 4 : Urban Economy
4.1 ECONOMIC BASE
Agra is basically a commercial city. The major part of its industrial activity is in the form of small-scale and house- hold industries. These are mainly located in the old Mughal city particularly Lohamandi, Rakabganj, Kotwali, Tajganj areas. The large-scale units are located in Chatta and Hariparvat areas. The important industries are textile, leather, foundries, diesel engines, generator sets, electrical goods, fans, pipes, C.I, casting, leather goods including shoes, steel rolling, packaging materials, etc. The major handicrafts are marble, leather, carpet, brassware, artistic dari and jewellery crafts.
The city being an infertile land and prone to floods so agriculture was practiced only as a subsidiary activity in limited areas. Therefore, industries received an impetus and the proximity to river Yamuna was also an added advantage. The traditional handicrafts flourished, patronized by the Mughal court.
Agra has been a center of traditional handicraft industries from the Mughal times. A number of factors contributed in building this image like the availability of raw materials: leather, stone, cotton threads within the city or the region, marble from makrana, red sandstone from Bharatpur. Also there was less extent of fertile land, this also facilitated the growth and development of industries.
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