Seventy-one countries will participate in the upcoming Commonwealth Youth Games to be held in Pune, Chairman of the Organising Committee Suresh Kalmadi said in Mumbai on Sunday.

"This is for the first time youth games are being held in Asia and 71 Commonwealth countries have confirmed their participation for the event," said Kalmadi, who was here to attend the Youth Baton Relay (YBR) ceremony at the Gateway of India.

"The first two games were held in England and Australia and the event saw the participation of 12 and 24 countries respectively," he added.

The third edition of the games will be held in Pune from 12 to 18. He added that till date approximately Rs 500 crore have already been spent on building world class infrastructure for the CYG.

"The indoor badminton hall built for the Games is the best around the world. Similarly, the shooting range ranks amongst the best in Asia," he said.

The Games will be inaugurated by President of India, Pratibha Patil and will be attended by the likes of International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Ahmad Al Sabah.

Kalmadi said that one of the prime objectives of the Games would be to promote the concept of Green Games and protection of Tigers.

"The Games will be the first carbon consumption neutral games," he said.

Kalmadi insisted that the CYG would encourage youngsters to take up Olympic Sports.

"Cricket has established itself commercially well in the country but the youth should now begin to consider Olympic Sports. One of the objectives of these games is to promote the Olympic sports," he said.

The Baton relay was flagged off from Delhi University on August 1 and is scheduled to travel through nine states, 199 cities before reaching Pune on October 8.

It reached the Gateway of India in the morning from where around 100 swimmers lead by Arjuna Awardee, Arthi Pradhan undertook a swim relay to Uran.