The region of Mordovia is launching a scheme which will see the government reduce a family's mortgage by 10% for every child born, the NTV news channel reports . If a family has a fourth child then the entire mortgage will be written off, the report says. The offer will apply equally to families who choose to adopt children. It's hoped the initiative will serve a dual purpose - increasing the birth rate of the region, and supporting families who are struggling with their bills during Russia's economic downturn. Mordovia has one of the lowest birth rates in the country at 10.1 births per 1000 population in 2014, and the lowest within the Volga Federal District.