in Katwa on 21 June 1757, where the decision was taken to cross the Hooghly River to Plassey. On 19 July 1763, Katwa was once again the scene of action during the Third Battle of Katwa, where British troops fought and defeated a contingent of troops loyal to Nawab Mir Qasim. Under the aegis of the British East India Company, Katwa became an urban settlement, encouraged by the presence of missionaries such as William Carey Jr., the son of William Carey. By the 1800s, Katwa had become a thriving trading town with the principal economic activity being the riverine trade in salt. The modern town of Katwa was established in 1850 when it was granted the status of a subdivisional town under the 10th Act of Municipal Rules. The Municipality of Katwa as a governing entity was established on 1 April 1869. The urbanization of Katwa received a further boost with the construction of railroads in the early 20th century: Katwa-Azimganj (constructed in 1903), Katwa-Bandel (1912), Katwa-Bardhaman (1915), Katwa-Ahmedpur (1917). Demographics As per the 2011 Census of India, Katwa had a total population of 81,615, of which 41,350 (51%) were males and 40,265 (49%) were females. The population below 6 years was 6,799. The total number of literates in Katwa was 65,187 (79.87% of the population over 6 years). In 2011, the population breakdown by religion was: Hindus (66,899), Muslims (14,488), Sikhs (50), Christians (44), Buddhists (9), Jains (4), and Unspecified/Not Stated (121).Katwa has a total area of 8.53 km2 with a population density of 9,681/km2. A steady flow of refugees from East Pakistan increased the population of the area in the fifties. Economy The economy of Katwa is based on agriculture and agro-related trades. The fertile soil of the surrounding areas is enriched by the alluvium from the Hooghly, Ajay and Damodar rivers. The major crops farmed in the countryside surrounding Katwa include rice, jute, mustard, sugarcane,tea, coffee and various tropical vegetables. Katwa is an essential center for marketing the region's agricultural products and for providing retail and consumer services to the surrounding population. Industries are limited to cottage industries and small-scale agro-related industries, e.g. rice mills, jute products, etc. Within the urban area, as of 2011, 0.81% of workers are employed in the primary (agricultural) sector, 5.96% of workers are employed in the secondary (manufacturing) sector, and 93.70% of workers are employed in the tertiary (services) sector. The