During the British rule urban centres developed in India almost independent of industrialization. English East India Company was primarily involved in overseas trade and, therefore, it developed ports in places like Madras, Calcutta and Bombay. Eventually these places became administrative centres. Calcutta served the Raj as its administrative headquarters up to the first decade of the twentieth century. Calcutta developed into a prominent city, but having no prominent industry. Crown rule also could not change the scenario. Even later on, British capital was not invested in any such industry that could have challenged the import of British goods in India. Calcutta was the stronghold of British managing agency farms who were mostly involved in jute textile, tea plantation and coal mining.