Answer:
There was a substantial decrease in poverty in India from about 55% in 1973 to 36% in 1993.
The proportion of people below the poverty line further came down to about 26% in 2000.
If the current trend continues then people below poverty line may come below 20% in the next few years.
Although the percentage of people below the poverty line is decreasing from 1973 the number of people living below the poverty line remain the same(about 320 million(
The latest estimate indicates a significant reduction in the number of poor to about 260 million.