More than 12,500 transgenders across the country have been issued 'Aadhaar' numbers by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

"Aadhaar number is being issued to transgender. As on October 28, 2011, 12,548 of Aadhaar numbers are issued to the community," the UIDAI said in reply to an RTI query.

Besides, close to six crore such numbers were issued to individuals within nearly three years since the inception of the authority.

The UIDAI has launched the Aadhaar scheme in September last year with a mandate to issue every citizen a 12-digit unique identification number linked to the resident's demographic and biometric information.

People can use their Aadhaar numbers to identify themselves anywhere in India as well as to access a host of benefits and services.

"There are 5,85,77,503 number issued," the UIDAI said replying to the RTI application filed by PTI.

However, it could not give year-wise details of Aadhaar numbers issued to eunuchs, as the authority has been facing a manpower crunch because nearly 50 per cent of its total sanctioned strength of 383 are lying vacant.

"UIDAI is a new organisation. The process of filling up the posts was initiated in September 2009. 196 posts have been filled up so far," it said.

The UIDAI, which acts as an attached office of the Planning Commission, has issued over one crore Aadhaar numbers and envisages to issue 60 crore such identity numbers by 2014.