Russia toys with a 'Ministry of Sex'

In yet another effort to lift up the country's drooping birth rate, a 'ministry of sex' could be set up in Russia.

The Mirror of UK reported that Putin-loyalist Nina Ostani na, 68, chairwoman of the Russian parliament's committee on Family Protection, Paternity, Maternity and Childhood, is scrutinising a petition demanding such a move. This is the latest of the myriad ideas Russian President Vladimir Putin's officials are coming up with to meet his demand to halt the demographic slide made worse by the thousands killed in the war in Ukraine.

One such proposal, the Mirror reports, is to turn off the internet - and even the lights - between 10 pm and 2 am to encourage couples to have sex. Another calls for the state to pay stay-at-home women raising children for doing housework, and to include this in their pension calculations. Yet another is for the state should pay for first dates - up to the value of 5,000 roubles (One rouble is .86 INR approx).