Putnam Investments, LLC
                                               One Post Office Square
                                               Boston, MA 02109
                                               March 31, 2004

Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC  20549

RE: Putnam Intermediate U.S. Government Income Fund (Reg. No. 33-37991)
    (811-6257) (the "Fund")
    Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Pursuant to Rule 497(j) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the Fund hereby certifies that the form of Prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information that would have been filed on behalf of the Fund
pursuant to Rule 497(c) upon the effectiveness of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 12 to the Fund's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (the
"Amendment") would not have differed from that contained in the
Amendment, which is the most recent amendment to such Registration
Statement and was filed electronically on March 29, 2004.

Comments or questions concerning this certificate may be directed to
James F. Clark at 1-800-225-2465, ext. 1-8939.

                                               Very truly yours,

                                               PUTNAM INTERMEDIATE U.S.
                                               GOVERNMENT INCOME FUND

                                               /s/ Charles E. Porter

                                           By: --------------------------------
                                               Charles E. Porter
                                               Executive Vice President

cc: Jason P. Pogorelec, Esq., Ropes & Gray LLP